You Belong With Me
by Jral
Summary: Edward decides to make some changes in his life, moving to Seattle to join his cousins at UW. He meets Tanya and the two start dating, but things get complicated when Bella Swan comes into the picture. M for language and possible lemons.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, or any of it's properties.

**A/N: I've been taking a little break from writing to get caught up on school work and life, but I had an inspiration for a story and I just couldn't resist =) I want to warn you that there a few songs thrown in here, and they're all pretty mainstream. I know they're not all amazing, but they fit the story too well to pass up, so I apologize in advance if you don't like some of them. I'm not sure how far I'm going to take this story, but it will be full-length, I promise. Let me know what you think!**

**EPOV**

I stretched my stiff limbs, enjoying the ability to move again. The line out of the plane moved slowly, as usual, as the other passengers retrieved bags from the overhead, or struggled to pull themselves out of the cramped seats. The plane was pretty small, and I ducked my head to avoid hitting anything on my way out, returning the stewardess's flirtatious wink with a tight-lipped smile.

The flight had gone a lot faster than I had expected. I had pulled an all-nighter yesterday to finish packing all of my things, wanting to get the fuck out of Chicago as quickly as possible. With everything ready to ship, all I had to do was get on my plane and accept my boxes when my parents sent them out here at the end of the summer.

A small part of me was going to miss them. I really do love my parents, and I know that deep, deep down, they love me too. But I'm ready to start my life, and make my own decisions. It was getting harder and harder to breathe under their watchful eyes, and I just couldn't take it anymore. They weren't exactly thrilled when I told them that I wanted to transfer out of the University of Chicago, and attend the University of Washington with Ali and Em in Seattle. They were even less thrilled when I told them that I was chaning my major from Pre-Law to Music. They'll get over it someday. I hope.

I was barely out of the terminal when my body was thrown backwards, and I struggled to stay upright under the added weight of a tiny, black-haired missle. When my lungs re-expanded I chuckled softly, wrapping my arms around my youngest cousin and squeezing her tight.

"Oh my God, Edward! I'm sooo excited that you're here! We're going to have so much fun this summer, and you're going to love UW! Have you decided where you're going to stay yet? Do you want help picking an apartment? Mine and Jazzy's building has a few vacancies--"

"Alice!" I interrupted her, fearing that she may lose consciousness if she didn't take a breath soon. She sucked in a shaky breath, then tilted her head back to beam at me. I wrapped an arm around her tiny shoulders and steered her toward the rest of the family, unable to keep the smile off my face at the sight of their matching grins. Something in my chest clicked into place, and every ounce of tension eased out of my body. This was my family. This was home.

"Eddie! I'm glad you made it, man!" Emmett boomed, pulling my away from Alice and into a tight hug, pounding on my back in the process. I coughed as the air whooshed out of my lungs, but hugged him back just as tight.

"Shit, Em," I wheezed. "It's good to see you man," I laughed when he released me. I turned to my Aunt Esme next, bending down to wrap my arms around her, lifting her off the ground as I inhaled the familiar scent. She laughed lightly, a sound that warmed me from my toes to my nose, and I set her back down on her feet. She reached up to cup my face in her hands, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Welcome back, Edward. We've missed you," she said softly, a gentle smile on her lips. She stepped back to give Uncle Carlisle some space, and he smiled a bright, perfect smile as he took his turn hugging me.

"We're happy you're here, son," he said quietly as we both held on tight. Carlisle and Esme had always seemed more like my parents than my own had. I knew my mom and dad cared about me, but the love that eminated from my aunt and uncle was almost staggering in its intensity. I even had Esme's odd bronze hair-color, though I had my mother's green eyes.

I looked around at my family, finally able to breathe for the first time in too damn long. Only ten minutes into my move to Washington, and I already knew that I had made the right decision. This is where I belonged, I could feel it.

Esme quickly ushered us all down to baggage claim where we picked up my things, then went out to their car. I settled happily into my seat, not at all upset about the long drive to their home in Forks. It felt great just to be with them again, and I listened quietly as Alice filled me in on the town and school, and all of the plans she had for the summer.

I used to spend every summer with them in Forks, until I was about eight years old. That was around the time that my parents decided that I needed to start preparing for the future. Summer became a chance to go into work with my dad, learn more about the trade, and take advantage of extra-credit assignments for school, just to make sure that I didn't lose anything over the break. I still got to spend some time with my cousins on occasion, when they would come visit for Christmas, or I would be allowed a few rare trips to go camping.

As we got older, our visits started to become limited to merely phone calls. We talked often, however, none of us wanting to lose touch. With my busy schedule I didn't have time for friends or dating, so they were my only link to normalcy. We talked on a daily basis, and once or twice Esme was able to convince my mother to send me out to them for the weekend. It would be nice to be around them again, with no limit to how much time we had together.

Alice hadn't changed much over the years. She was still a tiny little thing, only coming up to mid-chest, and thin in the extreme. Her inky black hair was cropped short, and stuck out in every direction, a perfect match to her electric personality. Her hazel eyes were swirls of brown, green, and gold, almost seeming to churn as you stared into them. Top it all off with her smooth white skin, and she strongly resembled a china doll.

Emmett was a huge motherfucker. He had definitely grown since I had last seen him. He was maybe 6'1", about an inch shorter than me, but he was built like a linebacker, solid muscle. His dimpled cheeks mocked his enormous size, accenting the short black hair and hazel eyes that he shared with his sister. The one difference between them, besides size, was their skin tone. Emmett had obviously taken advantage of every second of sun that the northwest offered, plus maybe a few sessions in a tanning bed, and had worked up a dark tan.

Carlisle and Esme looked exactly the same as I remembered them. Carlisle stood just a couple inches shorter than Emmett, but had a much leaner build. His cool blue eyes shone brightly against his pale skin, and his golden hair didn't show even a hint of grey. His wife had the same good fortune, with bronze hair just a shade lighter than my own. Her hazel eyes matched her childrens', as did her bright smile.

With Alice's constant chatter, the drive to their home went by much faster than I expected. We turned off onto the obscured gravel path, winding through a maze of trees before pulling up in front of the large white house. I sighed in contentment as I stepped out of the car, taking a deep breath of the damp air that surrounded us.

My bags were put in my room upstairs, and we were all gathered in the living room in no time, interrupted shortly by the chime of the doorbell. Alice squeeled excitedly and launched herself off the couch and toward the door, causing us all to chuckle. She came back moments later with two blonde-haired, blue-eyed guests.

"Edward, this is Jazzy!" she exclaimed excitedly, pushing one of our guests toward me. He was a couple inches taller than me at 6'4", with long, lanky limbs. His honey-colored hair hung in curls to brush the tops of his ears, and crystal blue eyes shone out of a pale face as he reached forward to shake my hand.

"Jasper Hale," he chuckled with an amused glance to Alice. "It's a pleasure to meet you." His voice held a thick southern accent and I couldn't help but feel at ease around him.

"Edward Masen," I responded. Alice and I hadn't had a single conversation in the last seven years without his name coming up. He and his family had moved to Forks from Texas, and Alice had immediately claimed him as hers. They'd been together ever since.

"This is my Rosie," Emmett anounced, beeming at the blonde supermodel that was draped over his arm. She rolled her eyes at the exuberance in his voice, but it was obvious that she adored him. She stepped forward and extended a perfectly tanned and manicured hand out to shake mine.

"Rosalie Hale," she introduced yourself, "but you can call me Rose." Her hair was the same honey-blonde as her brother's, but hung in loose curls down to the middle of her back. She had the same crystal blue eyes, but her accent was much softer, almost unnoticable.

"They're twins!" Alice explained quickly, grinning widely, completely unaware of the eye rolls going on around her.

"Yeah, I caught that," I chuckled at her. Carlisle and Esme took this moment to say their goodnights, heading upstairs to allow all of us to get caught up.

"So, Rose," I started, "Emmett tells me you're a mechanic?" I asked, intrigued. She was gorgeous, swimsuit model material. I couldn't picture her covered in grease under the hood of a car. Well, maybe I could, but I'm sure Emmett wouldn't be too happy about that. She smirked at my expression, probably used to the stereotype.

"Absolutely," she replied, looking up at Emmett who was grinning proudly. "We just got Cullen Auto Repair up and running a couple months ago," she continued. "Emmett's the brains of the operation, and I do the grunt work," she laughed.

"Someday we'll have our own car lot attached to that shop, and my baby won't have to work another day in her life if I have any say in the matter," Emmett added sternly. We all chuckled at his seriousness, and Rose placed a kiss on his cheek.

The two of them started dating just a few months after Alice and Jasper. Apparently Rose was a massive bitch to him right of the bat, and he just couldn't resist the challenge. They were practically inseparable now. With Rose's degree in mechanical engineering and Emmett's in business management, they were a perfect duo. He proposed just after he graduated college, and they started their repair shop a year later when Rose received her own diploma.

"So, what about you two?" I asked, turning to Jasper and Alice. Alice beamed up at him, and I marveled at how quiet she had been since he arrived. I must not be the only one he has a calming effect on.

"Well, I'm a photographer, so when Alice here finishes with her fashion merchandising degree, we're gonna start our own line." He kept eye contact with her the entire time he spoke, the two of them just dripping with affection. I squirmed a little, feeling out of place with the two couples in front of me, both obviously in love. I had never had a chance to even meet a girl, let alone fall in love with her. It had never really bothered me, but seeing how happy these four were, and how perfect they all were together, I couldn't help but want that for myself.

"We better get some sleep, so we can start showing Edward around town tomorrow," Alice finally sighed. "I mean, there's not much to show; it hasn't really changed since the last time you were here," she giggled, before her face fell a little. "I really wish Bella was here already; you would just _love_ her," she pouted.

Bella was Alice's best friend. I had never met her, since she didn't live in Forks at the same time as me, but Alice had mentioned her from time to time. Ever since I told Alice about my plans to transfer, she's started bringing up her friend more and more. I had some suspicions about her intentions, but I figured, fuck it; it couldn't hurt to just meet the girl.

"Where is she?" I asked. Alice rolled her eyes and crossed her arms angrily across her chest, and Jasper just chuckled and put a comforting arm around her little shoulders.

"She's being dumb, spending her summer _working_ instead of hanging out with me," Alice continued to pout. I couldn't help but chuckle at the way she said '_working'_, like it was a dirty word.

"Bells got an internship with a publishing company over the summer," Emmett explained for her. "She's been working for them freelance for awhile now, but they offered her an internship as a junior editor to see if she'd be interested in a permanent spot with the company when she graduates this year."

"Yeah, but she's gonna be gone all summer!" Alice whined, her eyes welling up with tears at the thought of not being able to see her best friend. I felt the urge to comfort my little cousin, but Jasper was already taking care of that.

"Ali, you know this is a good opportunity for her, baby," Jasper soothed. "She's only gonna be up in Seattle for two more months, then she'll come down her for a month with us." Alice's tears began to dry as he spoke, and she sucked her bottom lip back in.

"I know," she sighed, "I'm so proud of her, really. I just miss her." She leaned her head on Jasper's shoulder, and he kissed her forehead softly. I averted my eyes, feeling like I was intruding on an intimate moment, and couldn't help but feel like I wanted that again.

We called it a night just a few minutes later, and I followed the two couples up the stairs before heading to my room. It felt good to spread out on the bed, allowing my eyes to drift shut with exhaustion. I had a long summer ahead of me, but I was looking forward to every moment of it. My thoughts slipped away, as I drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

**A/N: Sooooo? What did ya think? I'll bring Bella in probably in chapter 4. Edward needs to get settled in first, so enjoy him for the time being =)**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, or any of it's properties.

**A/N: Okay, time for Edward to get settled in...I'm gonna throw in a not-so-lovable character, but I promise it's necessary =P**

**EPOV**

I almost hated to admit it, but it was great being back in Forks. I had always loved that small town vibe, even if only for a little bit at a time. I definitely loved the city, but there was something to be said about the peace and quiet of a little logging town nestled in the forest.

There wasn't much for Alice and Em to show me, but I had kinda expected that. They took me to the diner, a big hotspot apparently, and drove me downtown to look at all of the little shops. We stopped in to see Carlisle at the hospital, and even swung by the high school. The best place in town was the last stop on the tour, a little bar on the outer edge of the city limits. It looked tiny on the outside, but the inside was surprising. There was a large stage on one half, with room for maybe a hundred people to stand and listen to the music or dance. The other end of the bar held a few pool tables. The two sides were divided by a group of tables, and a long bar in the middle. Alice warned me that this is probably where we would be spending most of our time, as there was really nothing else to do in Forks for a bunch of college students.

We were just about to leave the bar and head back to the house when a police cruiser pulled into the lot, and Alice squeeled excitedly for the millionth time that day. She jumped up and down, clapping her hands, then grabbed my arm and dragged me over to the cruiser. She was nearly bursting with energy when the driver's door opened, and the Chief of Police stepped out.

"Charlie!" Alice squeaked, running over to throw her arms around his neck. The man looked stunned at first, but then smiled brightly and returned her hug enthusiastically.

"Alice, it's good to see you, honey," he grinned, kissing the top of her head. She grabbed his hand and yanked him over to the sidewalk where I was standing. He was a couple inches shorter than me, but was pretty lean and broad-shouldered. He had dark brown curly hair, with matching eyes and mustache, all standing in stark contrast with his pale skin. He eyed me curiously, making me squirm, but let Alice pull him over.

"Charlie, this is my cousin, Edward!" she introduced happily, bouncing in place. I extended my hand to shake his, and he returned the gesture, smiling kindly.

"Edward Masen, sir, it's nice to meet you," I greeted politely.

"Charlie Swan, and it's a pleasure to meet you too, Edward," he replied. His voice was deep and held all of the authority that one would expect from the Chief.

"Edward, this is Bella's dad," Alice explained. I nodded in understanding, suddenly nervous to meet this girl. Was it a good idea to be friends with a cop's daughter? I had always been a good kid, but that just sounded like trouble waiting to happen to me.

"Speaking of Bella," Charlie started, turning a squinty-eyed glare on Alice, "I thought you were gonna convince her to spend her summer at home." Alice scrunched her little nose, crossing her arms angrily.

"I tried," she whined in frustration. "She's just too damn stubborn." Charlie's glare disappeared, and he chuckled at Alice's anger, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't beat yourself up, Alice, I didn't think she'd go for it." He turned his attention to the rest of the group then, reaching over to pat Jasper and Emmett on the back, and pull Rose into a quick hug.

"What are you kids up to today?" he asked, eyeballing the bar behind us. We were all legal, but they were his daughter's friends, so I'm sure that didn't make much of a difference to him.

"Don't worry, Chief," Emmett laughed, "we're staying out of trouble. I promise," he grinned. Charlie rolled his eyes, but smiled along with him. He excused himself then to go check in with the owner about a call, and told Alice and Emmett to say hi to their parents for him. We all piled back into Emmett's jeep, and headed back to the house.

We made it back to the house in time for the lunch that Esme had ready for us, and we all laughed and talked while we ate. It wasn't long before the two couples became immersed in one another, and I excused myself to get out of the house. I thought maybe I'd go see Carlisle, and get a chance to take my baby for a drive. I'd paid to have my Volvo driven over from Chicago so I could avoid the long trip, and I was dying to take her for a spin. I put the key in the ignition, smiling as she purred for me, and headed into town.

Forks General Hospital was easy to find, and I pulled into the parking lot within minutes. For such a small town the hospital stayed pretty busy. I think that was mostly because of Carlisle. He was the Chief of Medicine, and an excellent surgeon. He could have gotten a spot anywhere in the country, but this is where he and Esme had decided to come. There were more hospitals in the surrounding towns, but if you wanted the best, you came to Carlisle.

I walked quietly through the front entrance, approaching the receptionist's desk to let Carlisle know I was here to see him. The girl behind the desk looked up as she heard me walk in, smiling sweetly at me. She looked to be about my age, a few inches shorter than me, but tall for a woman. Her pale skin was adorned with freckles across her cheeks and nose, standing out against her grey-blue eyes. She had shoulder-length strawberry blonde hair that hung straight to frame her oval-shaped face, and a bright smile pulled it all together. She wasn't extraordinarily beautiful, but she was attractive, and by the way she was eyeballing me I think it was safe to say she thought I was more than adequate. I smiled smugly at her as I approached the desk, leaning forward slightly so I wouldn't have to raise my voice.

"I'm here to see Carlisle Cullen," I said softly. Her smile widened, and she picked up the phone to dial his extension.

"Who may I say is here to see him?" she asked sweetly, her voice low and slightly raspy, hinting at a few years as a smoker.

"Tell him it's his nephew, Edward," I replied. She let her gaze travel over me once more as she relayed the message, then replaced the phone on its cradle.

"You can go on back, Edward," she answered, batting her eyelashes at me. I risked a quick glance down at her nametag, before stepping away to move down the hallway.

"Thank you, Tanya," I smiled, turning to walk away. I found Carlisle's office quickly, knocking quietly before stepping in to find him shuffling through paperwork. I took a seat and we talked for nearly an hour about everything from my parents to my schooling. Carlisle had always been a great listener, and he was always an excellent source for advice. I finally left him when a nurse came by to get his help with a patient, and I promised to see him at home.

I walked quietly down the hallway, relaxed after having spent some time with my Uncle, and I turned the corner to find Tanya still seated at the reception desk. My thoughts swirled for a moment before I made my decision, walking confidenetly over to her desk. Sadly, I had absolutely no experience with women. But after seeing Tanya's obvious approval of me earlier, I thought I'd take a chance.

"Hello, Tanya," I greeted her with a smile. She turned to look up at me, her own smile lighting up her face.

"How 'bout we go get some drinks when your shifts over?" I asked, nearly sure of her answer. I wasn't disappointed when her eyes lit up further, and she pulled out a pad of paper, quickly scribbling down her number.

"I'd love to," she replied, slipping me the paper, telling me to give her a call with a time. I tossed her a wink, earning a giggle in reply as I strode out the front doors. I sighed heavily once I was safely in my car, my nerves finally catching up with me. My smile slid back onto my face as I headed back home, eager for my night. While it was a little embarrassing to be having my first date at 22, I was glad that it had happened this way. It was better if my parents were in a different state for this rite of passage.

I hurried home to hang out with the gang for a couple of hours, before giving Tanya a call and letting her now I'd pick her up at seven. About an hour before I had to leave I jumped in the shower, then threw on a pair of darkwash jeans and an Aerosmith t-shirt, running my fingers through my messy locks in an attempt to calm them before heading out. I followed the directions Tanya had given me to her apartment, and got out to open her door as she slipped into the passenger seat of my car, wearing a tiny form-fiting dress that barely seemed to be covering anything at all. It seemed a little provocative for drinks at the local bar, but I shrugged it off, eager to start the evening, and not exactly disappointed with the view.

We spent the next three hours getting to know each other over drinks, and I actually enjoyed myself. We didn't really have a lot in common, but she was a nice girl and seemed really down to earth. She had graduated from Forks High School with Rose and Jasper, and started working at Forks General that summer. She said college just really didn't seem enticing for her, and she was happy with where she was.

I finally took her home a little after ten, and I drove back to the house with a smile on my face. We had plans to have dinner together that weekend, and I was going to take her to a nice restaurant in Port Angeles. I knew this relationship would probably get a little complicated when I left for Seattle in the fall, but I didn't want to get ahead of myself. If we were still seeing each other then, we would figure something out. I think I was really going to like it here.

**A/N: I know this one was a little short, but I'll make the rest of them longer, I promise =) Lemme know what ya think so far!**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, or any of it's properties.

**A/N: Bella's coming up next, I promise! This chapter is a lot of filler, but it was necessary to set things up for Bella's return home. It's kinda short, again, but I promise it'll pick up after this. Enjoy =)**

**EPOV**

The summer was flying by. It seemed like it was just yesterday that I walked off that plane. Jazz and Rose had quickly become two of my best friends. We all spent a lot of nights just watching movies and hanging out at Alice and Em's, tossing back a few drinks and enjoying our time together.

Of course, I was starting to spend more time with Tanya now too. I wouldn't say that our relationship had that spark that everyone talks about. There were no fireworks, and it wasn't perfect, but I was still pretty happy. We had fun together, hanging out at the bar or taking trips to Port Angeles.

I met her two best friends, Jessica and Lauren, shortly after we started seeing one another. They got on my nerves a little bit, but they were tolerable. Jessica was small and bubbly, with dirty blonde hair and plain brown eyes. She was the town gossip apparently, and knew everything about everybody.

She was dating a guy named Mike Newton. I definitely wasn't a big fan of Mike. He just had that vibe around him that made me feel like I needed to take a shower just from standing next to him. But I played nice, for Tanya's sake.

Lauren wasn't as tolerable as Jessica. She was thin with a straight figure, wispy blonde hair and dull grey eyes. She didn't talk much, but when she did it was usually a complaint of sorts. She was dating Tyler Crowley, a nice enough guy if you liked the sleezy car salesman type.

Tanya was great when it was just me and her. We had different tastes on a lot of things, like music and movies, but relationships were about compromise, right? She could be pretty cool when we were just hanging out, playing some pool and having a few drinks. I wouldn't say she was my dream girl, but at least I had a girl. It was nice to have her around when my friends started getting in 'that mood'. Not that me and Tanya were at that stage yet, but she kept me from feeling like the odd man out.

Of course, she was all for being at 'that stage'. She had made it pretty obvious after I took her to Port Angeles that first time that she was _very_ attracted to me. She practically shoved her tits in my face and begged me to come inside. I calmly explained to her that she was my first serious girlfriend (I might have left out the part about her being the only girl I'd dated, ever) and I wanted to take things slow. Like, nonexistent slow. It wasn't that I was trying to protect my virtue or whatever, I just wasn't sure if I wanted to go there with her. She wasn't so fond of my protests at first, but I guess she decided it wasn't worth bitching about, that we'd get there eventually.

We haven't been hanging out with the gang as much lately. It sucks not seeing each other as much, but I guess it's for the best. They don't seem all that fond of Tanya, but none of them will say why and I don't want to pry into it. I know she's not perfect, but she's a nice girl, and she really isn't that bad once you get rid of her lackeys.

Everything was really tense the first couple of times I brought her with me to hang out, but everybody just kept their mouths shut about whatever issues they had. Well, for the most part anyway. Rose was the only one that spoke up, but even then she didn't say much.

"What's she doing here?" Rose snapped as I led Tanya into the family room. Everyone's heads snapped over to look at us, and I felt Tanya stiffen at my side as I frowned at Rose.

"I told you I was seeing Tanya," I explained. "You said I should bring her over." Rose's brow furrowed for a second, and she opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by Alice.

"She didn't mean anything by it, she just thought you meant a different Tanya, right Rose?" Alice asked, a strained expression on her face. Rose glared angrily at the little pixie for a second before plastering on a fake smile and throwing it in our direction.

"Of course," she said, sickeningly sweet, "I didn't mean to be rude." Tanya smiled tensely at her, and Alice hurried to put the movie in, attempting to ease some of the tension in the room. We left as soon as the credits started to roll, Tanya complaining of a headache. I returned after dropping her off at home, searching for Alice to find out what that was all about.

"It's nothing, Edward, she and Rose just didn't get along very well in high school," she explained quickly, tossing Rose a look that clearly warned her to keep her mouth shut. "It's no big deal, really," she insisted. "We're all adults now, and all of that's in the past." I looked back and forth between the two girls and their significant others who were being very careful not to make eye contact with me. After a few seconds of silence, I realized that they weren't going to fill me in on whatever the secret was, so I dropped it.

The next few weeks I spent divided between them. I spent most of my days with the gang while Tanya was at work, then went out with Tanya and her friends in the evenings. It was difficult seeing the looks on my friends faces as I turned down their offers to hang out, but I didn't know what else to do. I didn't want to just give up on Tanya.

The weeks continued to fly by, and before I knew it summer was almost over. I hadn't really talked to Tanya yet about what would happen to us in the fall. I was starting to get the feeling that our relationship was more trouble than it was worth, but I just didn't want to hurt her. There was still about three weeks left before I had to leave, so I pushed the issue aside for later.

With summer almost over, another milestone approached. Alice had been practically buzzing with overflowing joy for the past few days. Her friend Bella was coming into town tomorrow, and I was glad for the simple fact that I don't think Alice's heart could handle much more suspense.

I wouldn't be there for her welcoming party as Tanya had claimed me for the day, so I would have to meet the Chief's daughter later that night. Alice had made me swear to meet them all at the bar that night so she could introduce us, and I agreed despite much protesting from Tanya.

Tanya had been more demanding than usual this last week. Every time Alice brought up her friend, Tanya would become more and more tense. When I mentioned the party that Alice had planned to welcome Bella home, Tanya had immediately informed me that she had already promised her friends we go out to lunch and a movie that afternoon. I acquiesed, knowing that I could just meet Alice's friend later in the evening.

So here I was, the day of Bella's arrival, pretending to be interested in Mike and Tyler's discussion of some awful action movie I'd just been forced to sit through, while Tanya and her friends pointed out our waitress's flaws. I eyed my fork out of the corner of my eye, wondering if Tanya would let me go home if I accidentally stabbed it through my hand. Probably not.

"So, are you guys going to the bar tonight?" I asked, desperate to change the conversation. It seemed like the entire town had been welcomed out tonight to celebrate Bella's arrival. I was beginning to suspect she was some kind of hero to the people of Forks. Not a single person in town had anything bad to say about her. Well, almost.

"Ugh, gag me," Lauren muttered, rolling her eyes and earning giggles from Jessica and Tanya. Mike, however, didn't seem averse to the idea. In fact, his eyes lit up like a goddamn christmas tree.

"Yeah, I'm totally gonna be there. I wouldn't miss Bella's homecoming for the world," he grinned. Jessica glared angrily at the side of his head while her friends shared knowing glances, making me think that perhaps Mike was just as fond of this girl as Alice was.

"Beer, music, and pool," Tyler chimed in, "what's not to like?" I nodded my head in agreement as Tanya scowled beside me.

"We don't have to stay the _whole_ night, do we Eddie?" she whined. I ground my teeth at the irritating nickname she had picked up for me.

"Tanya, I promised Alice that I was all her's tonight. You don't have to go if you don't want to; no one's forcing you to do anything," I sighed, repeating myself for the millionth time that day.

"Oh, no, I'm going," she grumbled angrily, an odd glint in her eyes. She watched me for a second, her eyes narrowed in concentration, then turned to slide out of the booth.

"I need a smoke," she anounced, signaling to her lackeys that they should come to. The girls sauntered out of the restaurant, and Mike and Tyler picked their conversation back up.

It felt like years later when we finally piled back into our cars, and headed back to Forks. I drove a little faster than necessary, anxious to be near my friends again. I could really use a night of normalcy. I dropped Tanya off at her apartment so she could get ready with the girls, and told her I'd meet up with her at the bar later, then sped back to the house.

I ran upstairs to shower and get changed, finding an outfit already laid out for me, compliments of the little pixie. I slipped on the faded jeans with a pair of converse, then pulled my arms through the sleeves of the black button-down, rolling the sleeves up to my elbows. I ran my hands through my hair quickly before grabbing my wallet, phone, and keys, and dashing downstairs.

The bar was packed when I got there, and I had to park a little ways down the street. I couldn't help but chuckle at how accurate I'd been about the whole town showing up tonight. There was music blasting through the speakers as I opened the door, and I quickly started scanning the crowd for my friends.

Alice came barreling through the crowd, saving me the trouble, and grabbed my hand to drag me back toward the stage. I followed after her, apologizing to all of the people she had elbowed out of the way, then stopped when we reached our table. The rest of the gang was there, along with Chief Swan, who shook my hand with a wide grin on his face, his eyes quickly going back to the stage.

I looked over to find Tanya and her friends at the table beside ours, and she quickly walked over to wrap herself on my arm. I shook her off politely, claiming to need that hand free to grab my drink. My eyes scanned the crowd, and everyone seemed fixated on the stage, waiting for something to happen. I leaned over to Jasper, having to yell in his ear to ask him what we were waiting for. He clapped a hand on my shoulder and just smiled wide, nodding toward the stage.

"We're waiting for the show, man," he yelled over the noise. I quirked an eyebrow at him, but let it slide as I searched our group for Alice's friend. I didn't recognize some of the people around us, but none of them seemed to be with our table so I wrote them off. I was just about to ask Alice where her friend was when a man stepped up to the mic.

"How's everybody doin' tonight?" he asked, earning a round of cheers and applause from the crowd.

"I wanna thank everybody for comin' out to welcome our favorite Swan back home tonight," he joked, earning an amused eyeroll from the Chief, "but I know you didn't come to listen to me talk, so without further ado, Miss Bella Swan." He swept his hand out to the side to welcome the star of the evening onto the stage, and I'll be damned if my summer didn't just get a helluva lot more interesting.

**A/N: Aww aren't I evil? I promised y'all Bella's POV, so it's comin up next...I'm gonna give you guys some homework too: send me your ideas for a good band name =)**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, or any of it's properties.

**A/N: Here you go, the moment you've all been waiting for! Well, not really, but it is Bella's POV, so enjoy =)**

**BPOV**

"Ang? You still here?" I dropped my keys by the front door as I pushed it shut behind me, my eyes scanning the apartment for my roommate.

"Yeah, Bells, over here!" she called, her voice slightly strained. I dropped our breakfast and coffee off on the counter, then furrowed my brow and followed the sound, bursting into laughter as I pushed open the door of her room. Angela was spread out on top of an extra large suitcase, attempting to use her body weight to hold it shut while she zipped it. Unfortunately, Angela doesn't really weigh that much.

"Need some help?" I giggled. She scowled over at me, blowing her bangs out of her face, but couldn't help the little giggle that escaped her lips. She slid off the suitcase and nodded her head wearily, and I crossed the room to help her. Ang had been my roommate for the past three years. The first year we got lucky to be paired up in the same dorm. After that, we decided it was worth getting a job to have our own place. We've been in the same apartment for two years now, and this year will be our third and final.

I don't know what I'd do without Angela. She just gets me, you know? Neither of us is really all that talkative on our own, but if you put us together we don't shut up. We share a deep of love of books, and are therefore both majoring in English Literature. Ang wants to be a librarian. She'll make a great one too. She's about 5'8", nearly five inches taller than me, and extremely thin despite the massive amounts of food she consumes. She has porcelain skin to match my own, but that's the only thing we have in common appearance-wise. She has jet black hair that hangs straight down to her shoulders, and brown eyes so dark they're almost black, hidden behind black horn-rimmed glasses.

I climb on top of her suitcase, planting my butt on one side while she hops up to hold down the other. Between the two of us, we manage to get it sealed before we haul it into the living room. My own bags are already packed and waiting in my truck. I've got a long drive home to Forks ahead of me, and I didn't want to waste any of my day packing.

"Are you sure you don't want to come home with me?" I beg for the hundreth time, sticking out my bottom lip for effect. She rolls her eyes but smiles softly, pulling me in for a tight hug. We both stand there for a minute, only pulling away when the front door bursts open. I jump back quickly, wiping my eyes, laughing when I see Angela doing the same.

"Oh, come on, it's only a few weeks." We turned in unison to glare at Ben, Angela's boyfriend, as he holds his hands up defensively and grabs one of the breakfast tacos I one final sigh and a round of goodbyes, I grab the last of my stuff and trudge down to my truck, not looking forward to the drive. The only good part is what's waiting at the end. Sure, it'll be nice to take a few weeks off for a breather. But I really can't wait to see Alice. It's only been two months, and I already feel like I'm falling apart.

I pull my truck slowly away from my apartment, sighing in the silence as I head back home. It's still dark out, only six in the morning, and the road stretches out endlessly before me. I'm glad that I thought to go get some coffee this morning, and I take a long drink before turning the radio on for some entertainment. The stereo was a gift from Emmett and Jasper for Christmas last year, and it really has came in handy. My truck is old, but I love her too much to get rid of her. Charlie wanted to replace it when I left for school, but I got him to promise that he would let me keep it if Rose could fix it up. She completely overhauled the engine, and now my baby runs like new.

The drive is long and quiet, but I manage to keep awake and my stomach fills with butterflies as I get closer to town. It seems like it's been forever since I've been back here. It's only been since Christmas, really, but it feels longer sometimes. I really do miss Charlie, and Esme and Carlisle too. I've been working nonstop lately, and I can't wait to just be able to spend some time with my friends and family. Plus Alice and Emmett's cousin transferred over here at the beginning of the summer, and they're dying for me to meet him. I have a feeling that the little pixie has something up her sleeve, but I'm not going to worry about that right now.

I pass quietly through the town, smiling to myself as I take in all of the familiar sights. Seattle's great, and I really love living in the city, but it feels good to get away from it all every once in awhile. My smile widens into a larg grin as I pull up to the familiar house, and I barely have time to shut off the engine before I'm out of the cab, running up the front porch. The door is flung open before I can reach it, and I jump into Charlie's arms. He pulls me off my feet, and swings me around a few times before setting me back down, stepping back to look at me. His grin matches my own, and I lean in to pull him into one more hug.

"I'm glad you're home, Bells," he says quietly, pressing his cheek to the top of my head. We pull apart after a few minutes, and he steps aside to let me through the front door. Before I've even gone two feet into the house, my body is thrown sideways, and I slam onto the hardwood with an enormous pressure on top of me. I wheeze loudly, struggling to catch my breath, and Charlie's there suddenly, pulling the weight off of me. I suck in a ragged breath, and look around at the four grinning faces on the floor beside me, and I suddenly burst into laughter, reaching up to pull the closest one into a hug.

Alice wraps her tiny arms around my waist, squeeling loudly and jumping up and down. Her arms are quickly replaced with Emmett's as he crushes me to his chest, then Rose's as she rocks me side to side and kisses my cheek. Jasper's last, picking me up and spinning me in a circle, setting me carefully back on my feet in the middle of the group. Charlie stands to the side, watching it all with a wide smile on his lips.

"Oh my God, I missed you guys so much!" I laugh, pulling Alice back into a hug while I stare at them all. Emmett reaches over to ruffle my hair, and I swat his hand away at the same time Rose smacks the back of his head, making us all laugh once more.

"We missed you too, Bells. So, so much!" Alice cries. "Don't you ever make us leave for vacation without you, ever again!" she commands, trying to look stern but betrayed by the twinkle in her eyes. I pull the circle over to the couch, all of us taking seats on the furniture or floor while Charlie grabs us some cokes. He returns a second later with the drinks and a couple boxes of pizza, and I dive in hungrily, earning more laughter from the group.

"So, tell me about your summer," I prod. "What have you guys been up to? Is your cousin here yet?" The four of them exchange an odd look, and I quirk an eyebrow at them. Rose is the first to answer.

"We haven't really done much," she explains. "Just the usual, hanging out, waiting for you to get back," she grins. I roll my eyes but smile back at her, then Alice chimes in.

"Edward got here a couple days after we did," she adds, but that odd look is back. She looks to the rest of the group, then seems to come to a decision. "He's dating Tanya," she says flatly. I tilt my head to the side for a second, before the name sinks in and my eyes widen.

"Oh," is my witty reply. "Well, that's nice," I say, trying to sound nonjudgemental. Alice and Rose snort in unison, and the boys chuckle quietly.

"Oh, come on," I say, "it can't be that bad." Alice tosses me an evil look, and I hold back a chuckle of my own. "Well, you said you're cousin's a smart guy, so I'm sure he knows what he's doing. Maybe she's not as bad as she used to be," I offer. Rose shakes her head at me sympathetically, and Alice pats my knee like I'm a sad, pathetic little girl.

"Just wait, Bella," she insists, "you,'ll see." The mood lightens after that, and the five us hang out for another hour or so while Charlie excuses himself to get back to work. After we've finished the pizza we jump into Emmett's jeep and head over to the Cullen's house. Esme and Carlisle are waiting for me with balloons and a cake, and I can't help but laugh at how over the top it is. Esme quickly scoops me up into a hug, before passing me to Carlisle. They ask me all about my internship, and I fill them all in about what I've been up to the past couple months.

It's seems like only minutes later when Alice is dragging me out the door, declaring that it's time to get me ready for the night. We grab more coffee on the way back to my house, and the boys drop us off before going to Jasper's to get dressed. Alice sets up a miniature beauty salon in my room before shoving me into the bathroom for a shower. I take my time, letting the hot water work out all of the kinks in my muscles from all of my time spent in the car today. When I make it back to my room, Alice is practically wearing a hole through my floorboards with her passing. She pushes me down into the chair, and gets started on my makeup while she instructs Rose to do my hair.

They keep it simple, thank goodness. Rose blows my hair out into loose waves, and lets it hang freely down to the dip in my back. Alice applies black eyeliner and mascara, putting a translucent shimmery powder on my eyelids. She tops it off with a light pink gloss, then pulls me out of the chair to get me dressed. She throws a matching black lace bra and panty set at me, and I slip them on while she gets the rest of my wardrobe out. I let out a sigh of relief when she throws me a pair of darkwash flared jeans, pairing it with a woven tunic in cream. The top has spaghetti straps and an empire waist, with lace overlay through the waist,button accents down the middle, and ruffled hem along the bottom. The whole outfit is topped off with black flats and a set of colorful bangles on my wrist.

I grab a light black sweater to keep me warm until we get to the bar, and we're ready to go. Alice hurries us downstairs and out the door, the three of us jumping into my truck and heading into town. The bar is already packed by the time we get there, but Charlie saved a spot for me right in the back. We climb out into the damp night air and hurry in through the back entrance. We say hi to the owner, Demitri, and leave our purses and coats in the back. The girls both kiss my cheek good luck and disappear out into the crowd.

"Bells!" I look up at the sound of my name, and a smile spreads across my face. Seth and Sam are just coming in through the back door, guitar cases in hand. I tilt my head back to look at them, glad to see them again. Seth is about 5'10", taller than when I last saw him, and lanky; his twentieth birthday is coming up, and I can't believe how fast he grew up. He and Sam have matching russet skin with black hair and brown eyes. Seth wears his hair a little longer, letting the shaggy locks swoop down in front of his eyes. Sam is a couple inches taller than Seth, and filled out a bit more, a much more imposing figure. He's Emmett's age, 23, and still lives on the Quileute reservation with his fiance Emily. Seth is in Seattle with the rest of us, studying kinesiology.

The two of them, plus me and Angela make up _______. I'm vocals, Ang is our drummer, Seth's on bass, and Sam's our guitarist. We don't do anything big, just some gigs here at the bar when we're in town, and some at a joint we all like in Seattle when Sam can make it up there. None of us is in it to get a contract or make it big, it's just a way to relieve stress.

"How's it goin, guys?" I ask, still grinning at them. Seth loops an arm around my neck while Sam starts pulling his guitar out of the case.

"You didn't think we'd make you do this solo, did ya?" Seth laughs. They introduce me to a friend of theirs from the reservation, Embry, who's filling in for Ang on drums, before they all start getting their gear set up.

I spend a few minutes practicing a few vocal exercises to warm up a little. As the noise level in the bar increases, so does my excitement. I was painfully shy throughout my entire childhood, clumsy beyond belief and very introverted. Things changed in high school, though, when I finally realized there was nothing to be afraid of. We're all just doing the best we can, and that's all that can be expected of us. Sam suggested that I try using music as a way to release all of my pent up emotions, and I never looked back.

I wouldn't say that I don't have my shy moments. I'm still not great with meeting new people, and it takes me awhile to warm up. But that's a huge change from being afraid of everything and everyone.

Demitri nods to us before flashing a grin and running up the steps onto the stage. He skips over to the mic, tossing me a wink before greeting the crowd. I take a deep breath, nodding to the guys and stepping up to the edge of the stage.

"I wanna thank everybody for comin' out to welcome our favorite Swan back home tonight," he joked, and I can't help but smile as I imagine Charlie's expression, "but I know you didn't come to listen to me talk, so without further ado, Miss Bella Swan." He swept his hand out to the side to welcome me onto the stage, and I slip my smile into place as I make my over to the mic, adjusting the height as the guys get into position behind me and Demitri takes his leave. My eyes travel over the audience, and I feel my smile widening, adrenaline coursing through my veins. Showtime.

**A/N: Don't hate me, k? I'll cover her performance next, so make sure to send me some reviews, and lemme know how I'm doin so far =)**


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, or any of it's properties.

**A/N: I decided to do this from Edward's POV, so you get a feel for how Bella looks up on the stage in her element...I hope you like it =)**

**Song: Picture to Burn – Taylor Swift**

**EPOV**

The crowd roared with applause as the most beautiful woman I had ever seen walked gracefully onto the stage, chin held high. She was small, maybe 5'3" with a petite figure and curves in all the right places. Dark chocolate eyes glittered in a porcelain-skinned face, a perfect match for that breathtaking smile. The overhead lights on the stage shone down on her long mahogany hair, giving her an angelic appearance. At least, I think that was just a light trick.

She walked straight up to the microphone, adjusting the stand to the right height, and stepped forward to speak into it. The voice that slipped out of her lips confirmed my suspicion that there was some otherworldly force at work in her.

"Hey, Forks," she giggled, the sound like windchimes to my ears, causing a certain part of my anatomy to take notice. Whoa, not good. The crowd laughed with her, a few people calling out 'hellos' and 'we missed yous'. She grinned out at us, shaking her head in amusement.

"Well since I haven't been home in awhile, I thought I'd give you guys a little show. I'm sure you've been starved of good music in my absence," she teased, looking over at what I assumed was the house band, sitting off to the right of the stage. They all flashed her bright smiles, making my stomach clench unexpectedly, giving her a thumbs up.

"I've got something a little old for you today; well, it's old for me, but this will be my first time performing it, so I hope you like it." With that, she turned to nod at her drummer, then faced us once more, wrapping both tiny hands around the mic.

_State the obvious, I didn't get my perfect fantasy_

_I realized you love yourself more than you could ever love me_

_So go and tell you're friends that I'm obsessive and crazy _

_That's fine you won't mind if I say, by the way_

Her sweet mouth was turned up in a smirk as she sang, her forehead creasing with emotion as the words flowed out of her. The audience had begun moving with the beat as soon as it started pulsing through the room, and a few were tossing her catcalls as she wiggled her hips side to side with the music.

_I hate that stupid old pickup truck you never let me drive_

_You're a redneck heartbreaker who's really bad at lyin_

_So watch me strike a match on all my wasted time_

_Ss far as i'm concerned you're just another picture to burn_

A few people close to the stage began to cheer at the chorus, including Alice, Emmett and the gang. I glanced over to watch Charlie nodding his head in agreement with the lyrics, a stern expression on his face mixing with the smile he couldn't seem to let go of.

_There's no time for tears I'm just sittin here plannin my revenge_

_There's nuthin stoppin me from goin out with all of your best friends_

_And if you come around sayin sorry to me_

_My daddy's gonna show you how sorry you'll be_

Charlie cheered loudly at this point, along with the gang and a few other audience members around us. I heard a round of laughter pass through the crowd, and I couldn't help but feel that there was a real story behind this upbeat tempo.

_'Cause I hate that stupid old pickup truck you never let me drive_

_You're a redneck heartbreaker who's really bad at lyin_

_So watch me strike a match on all my wasted time_

_As far as i'm concerned you're just another picture to burn_

_And if you're missin me, you better keep it to yourself_

_'Cause comin back around here would be bad for your health_

Another round of grunts and cheers from the men around me, and my awed expression turned into a wide grin, as I got the distinct impression that this brown eyed angel was rather important to the people of Forks. She was dancing slightly to the beat, keeping one hand on the mic as the other ran through her hair, hips still swaying, making my mouth run dry.

_'Cause I hate that stupid old pickup truck you never let me drive_

_You're a redneck heartbreaker who's really bad at lyin_

_So watch me strike a match on all my wasted time_

_In case you haven't heard_

_I really really hate that stupid old pickup truck you never let me drive_

_You're a redneck heartbreaker who's really bad at lyin_

_So watch me strike a match on all my wasted time_

_As far as i'm concerned you're just another picture to burn_

_Burn, burn, burn, baby burn_

_Just another picture to burn_

_Baby burn_

The song came to an end, and she dropped into a deep bow, bending at the waist and flipping her long, dark waves behind her as she snapped back up. She swept her arm out as she stepped to the side, calling on her band to take their bows, and the noise level in the tiny bar piqed. I joined the rest of the audience in applause, my eyes never leaving the beauty on the stage. The bar owner jogged back up the steps, reaching down to wrap her tiny frame in a hug as she placed a kiss on his cheek, my stomach flopping in the process, and reclaimed the mic. The sound system kicked back on with some generic country, and the angel disappeared behind the curtains with her band.

"Well? What'd you think?" Jasper asked, grabbing my attention. I turned to look at the table, all of them watching me expectantly with bright smiles on their faces.

"She was amazing," I answered honestly, remember her onstage in all of her ethereal beauty. Tanya released a not-so-delicate snort beside me.

"Thank you." My eyes searched the table for the source of the voice, and they landed on a tiny brunette by Alice's side. She grinned up at me, her chocolate eyes sparkling, a light flush to her skin.

"Bella, this is my cousin Edward. Edward, this is my Bella," Alice introduced proudly, wrapping an arm tightly around her shoulders. I felt a smile pull my lips up at the corners, and I reached my hand out to shake hers. Her tiny fingers slipped into mine smoothly, and a jolt of electricity shot up my arm at the contact. My eyes widened in surprise, an animalistic urge rippling through my body at the contact, and I looked up to find a matching expression of shock on her own face. We froze for just a few seconds, holding each other's gaze until a throat cleared, pulling us out of the moment. I felt heat flood into my cheeks as I dropped her hand reluctantly and pulled my eyes away from her heart shaped face.

Emmett, Jasper and Rosalie were all smirking at us in amusement, while Tanya glared furiously. But Alice just smiled knowingly. I quirked an eyebrow at her, and her smile just widened. Chief Swan stepped over to the table then, pulling Bella into a tight hug before excusing himself to go on patrol. Bella spun back around to face us, her eyes flicking to mine first, and a light blush appearing on her cheeks as she looked to Alice.

"Eddie, I'm bored with this place, let's leave," Tanya pouted, trying to draw in some attention. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, only turning my body part of the way to face her, one eye still on the beautiful brunette across the table.

"Don't call me Eddie," I started, "and no one's forcing you to stay here." I vaguely registered that her face had twisted into a horrified expression, but I was too wrapped up in my new aquaintance to deal with Tanya right now.

"Are you kidding me right now?" she cried incredulously. "You're passing up a night with me, for _that_?" she spat, nodding disgustedly in Bella's direction. The rest of the table glared back at her, but Bella merely dropped her eyes down to the table for a moment, lifting them back up to put on a forced smile. My insides churned painfully at the knowledge that Tanya had hurt this angel's feelings, and I wanted nothing more than to pull her into my arms and comfort her. I quickly shook off the feeling, surprised at my intense reactions to this girl, and turned back to Tanya.

"Just go home, Tanya. I'll call you later." She huffed angrily but stomped away from me and out of the bar, her groupies right on her heels. I sighed a deep breath, relieved to be away from her for the evening.

"So, what's the plan?" Bella spoke up, breaking the tension as her eyes skimmed the group, searching for an answer.

"Well, dad took mom to Port Angeles for the evening so we could have the house to ourselves. It's time for a real welcome home party," Emmett grinned, rubbing his large hands together excitedly. We all laughed at his antics, and I marveled at the way Bella's smile lit up her entire face. Fuck, I was in serious trouble.

**A/N: Sooo what did you think? I know, it's a little over the top, but that's the beauty of fictional characters...they can be whatever you want them to be =) Review plz!**


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, or any of it's properties.

**A/N: Edward and Bella are going to get a chance to let those lustful thoughts simmer a little in this one, but it's gonna take a few chapters for things to start falling into place. Have patience =)**

**EPOV**

The six of us quickly stumbled out of the crowded bar, splitting off in different directions to pick up our cars and head back to my cousins' house. I followed Bella's old red pickup through the darkened streets, excited to have the whole evening to get to know each other. I tried to convince myself that I already had a girlfriend, so I was just interested in having Bella as a friend. Yeah, I didn't really buy that either.

We were back at the house in less than ten minutes, and I walked slowly up to the front porch, studying Bella as she walked arm in arm with the girls ahead of me. Her body was slim but firm, and she moved with such confidence and grace that I felt the urge to throw her in the back of my car and take her right there. I shook my head to clear the image, not needing that kind of 'problem' right now.

As soon as the door opened the girls rushed upstairs, leaving me and the boys to entertain ourselves. Emmett wasted no time ordering some pizza, hungry as usual, while Jazz and me set up the PlayStation 3 to play some Modern Warfare. We had barely started the game when there was a shuffling of feet and giggling from behind us. My attempts to keep my head out of the gutter with Bella were all shot to hell as soon as she came into sight.

Apparently the girls had gotten more "comfortable" for our night in. Rose and Alice both wore their boyfriends' shirts, Alice paring hers with yoga pants while Rose wore hers with flannel pajama bottoms. But Bella...fuck if that girl wasn't trying to kill me. Her long, toned legs were displayed in a pair of tiny cotton shorts that barely covered her tight ass, and her torso was wrapped in a thin, skin-tight blue tanktop that made her skin almost appear to glow in contrast.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, trying to discreetly "adjust" myself, now ridiculously hard just from a glimpse of this girls creamy skin. I stifled a groan at my own inner monologue, deciding that it would definitely be detrimental to my plight to use the word "creamy" to describe any part of this girl.

Rose tossed Emmett and wink while Alice blew Jasper a kiss, before they both sauntered out of the room and down the hall to the den. Bella hesitated for a moment, her eyes meeting mine briefly as a light blush filled her cheeks, then hurried after them. The room was deathly silent for a moment before we all cleared our throats, shifting in our respective seats and trying to refocus on our game. The stereo in the den came on a few minutes later, and we played a few rounds as the girls laughed and talked loudly down the hall.

"So, Eddie," Emmett started, a dimpled grin spreading across his face, "what do you think of our little Bella?" I kept my eyes glued to the screen, praying to whatever higher power existed that they couldn't hear the thunderous beating of my heart, having picked up the pace with just the mere mention of her name. I cleared my throat, shrugging my shoulders nonchalantly.

"She seems cool," I said smoothly. If by 'cool' you mean gorgeous, amazing, fuckhot, sex on legs. I glanced over at the guys out of the corner of my eye, catching them exchanging a knowing look. I was saved from further questioning by the ringing of the doorbell.

Once the pizza was paid for, we took a break from the game to go grab the girls, the music getting louder as we walked down the hallway. The Spice Girls' "Wannabe" was blaring at impossibly high decibals from the soundsystem, and I could faintly hear the girls' voices singing along with the music. A smirk started to pull at the corner of my mouth as we reached the door, pushing it open to display what I can only describe as a wet dream come true.

The girls were all singing their parts, holding hairbrushes for microphones, dancing around the room suggestively in their night clothes. My eyes zeroed in on Bella's form, and I swallowed convulsively, my cock coming back to life in my jeans, straining painfully against the coarse fabric. Her tight little ass was swirling in a circle, her long, slender arms extended abover her head, holding her mahogany waves away from her neck. I vaguely noticed a strangled noise from beside me, and the girls immediately stopped their movements.

Mine and Emmett's heads both whipped over to glare at Jasper, and he shot us an apologetic look before his eyes snapped back to Alice, lust rolling off of him in waves. The girls froze in shock for a moment at being caught before they all burst into a fit of laughter, leaning on one another for support. I tried to ignore the way Bella's chest heaved when she laughed, but wasn't very successful. I'm pretty sure at this point my dick could accurately be referred to as petrified wood. Her eyes chose that moment to flick over to mine, a smug little smirk pulling at her lips. I dropped my gaze immediately, heat flooding my face, and reached my hand up to rub the back of my neck nervously.

"Um...the pizza's here," I mumbled, not daring to make eye contact again. My words seeemed to break through the sexual tension in the room, sending all three girls running past us, out the room, and down the hall to the family room. We all stumbled behind them, struggling to compose ourselves, and settled down on the floor where they had already begun eating. I reached forward to grab a slice for myself, but stopped abruptly, a faint whimper slipping out of my lips.

A drop of sauce had found its way onto Bella's chin, and she looked up to meet my gaze as her long, pink tongue slipped out of her lips, slid along the offending spot, and disappeared back between her full lips. She tossed me a quick wink, her lips twisting into a smirk, before she turned her attention back to the girls. I fell into my spot on the floor, dazed after witnessing such a simple act. My head began to fill with other things I wanted her to do with that tongue, only to be interrupted by a slow chuckle to my left. I turned my eyes to quirk an eyebrow at Jasper, who was still chuckling and shaking his head.

"So, she seems cool, huh?" he asked. I frowned at his grin, quickly shoving a slice of pizza in my mouth to avoid having to answer. Thankfully Alice started up a conversation about everyone's plans for the rest of the summer, successfully grabbing Jasper's attention.

"So, I have the best idea ever," Alice started after we had all had our fill of food. The entire room groaned, and she glared at all of us before opening her mouth again.

"I think we should play truth or dare," she suggested brightly. "It'll be so much fun!" she whined, noticing all of our hesitant gazes.

"Alice, I've played truth or dare with you....it's not pretty," Bella shook her head, a look of mock terror on her perfect face. Alice popped her bottom lip out at Bella's words, her eyes beginning to water instantly. Bella groaned loudly, the sound sending a shockwave to my crotch, and crossed her arms in frustration.

"That's so not fair, Ali," she growled. God, was everything this woman did sexy?

"Fine, I'll play your game, but I'm not happy about it," she conceded, earning a bright smile from the pixie. We all settled into our spots, beginning our game with some tame dares. Each one grew increasingly embarrassing and sexual, as per usual. We had just finished watching Alice fake an orgasm, quite convincingly I might add to Jasper's chagrin, when she turned her mischievous gleam on Bella.

"Truth or Dare, Bells?" she grinned. There was an evil glint in her eyes, which I'm sure Bella caught as her face took on an apprehensive glare. She was quiet for a moment, before she released a heavy sigh and muttered 'dare'. Alice smiled brightly, overjoyed at her small victory.

"Bella, I dare you to strip down to your birthday suit and jump into the pool," she instructed happily, nearly buzzing with anticipation. Bella's forehead scrunched adorably, and she tilted her head to the side.

"That's it?" she asked, not phased by Alice's dare. My own heart had begun beating double speed in anticipation, positive that I would cum on the spot just from the thought of seeing her naked body under the moonlight. Alice shrugged her shoulders, and Bella stood to walk toward the backyard. Alice and Rose quickly jumped up, pulling their men with them as I tagged along. As horrifying as it would be to get any harder than I am, this was not something I wanted to miss. A small voice in the back of my head reminded me of Tanya, but I brushed it aside. Fuck Tanya. My hormones had taken enough of a beating today; they deserved a reward.

Bella sauntered casually over to the edge of the pool. Her tiny hands reached for the hem of her shirt, quickly pulling it over her head and tossing it to the side, her bra quickly joining it. My eyes widened impossibly far, trying to take in every detail of this gorgeous woman before me, roaming over the smooth, toned planes of her shoulders, sliding down to the dip in her back. She bent slightly at the waist to remove her shorts, shimmying out of them before they joined the pile at her side.

My fingernails dug into the palms of my hands, the pain the only thing keeping me from giving into my desires and launching myself at her. Our friends' catcalls echoed through the backyard, but I refused to focus on anything but that perfect ass in a tiny black g-string, taunting me. She slipped off the final scrap of fabric, turning her head to grin and wink at us, then launched herself into the pool.

Before my brain had time to shift from my dick to my skull, Alice had snatched Bella's clothes and hauled ass back inside, our friends following after her in a fit of laughter. They were kind enough to leave Bella her g-string. I quickly ran after them, not wanting to be the only one out there when Bella emerged from the water, only to find her clothes missing. Only a handful of seconds passed before Bella's shrieks rang down the hallway and into the family room where we were waiting. I couldn't help but join my friends in their laughter, even though I was in a rather painful predicament at the moment.

"Mary Alice Cullen, you are so going to pay for this!" she screamed. Our laughter only increased, Alice wiping the tears from her eyes with the sleeve of Jasper's shirt. I nearly choked on my own tongue when Bella strutted confidently into the room.

The g-string covered her nether regions, while she had one arm wrapped lightly across her torso, barely covering her nipples. Water dripped in small trails downr her perfect body, and my tongue darted out from between my lips reflexively. She walked straight through the room, her eyes only flicking to mine for a moment. Her cheeks flushed pink momentarily before she looked away and straightened her shoulders, tilting her chin up as she marched over to Alice and snatched her clothes back. It didn't escape my attention that each step caused water to drop from the ends of her hair onto her round ass, just begging to be licked off. She quickly spun on her heel and disappeared from the room, returning just a few minutes later redressed and dry. Her damp hair was pulled up into a messy bun, exposing her slender neck, not really helping my 'small' problem.

The rest of the group finally ceased their laughter after her return, all of them settling down to watch whatever movie they had put on. I couldn't really tell you what it was. The only thing I could focus on was trying to stop the images of Bella's naked body from assaulting my mind before I blew a load in my jeans. She plopped down on the couch next to me, pulling her knees up to rest her chin on them. Her eyes peaked over at me sideways, her cheeks tinting pink before she looked back to the screen. I licked my lips instinctively, sinking back into my seat and pulling a couch pillow over my lap. This was going to be a long fucking week.

**A/N: Well, how was it? Obviously, there's just a smidge of sexual tension =P I decided to make my Bella a little more confident than usual, but that will all be explained as part of the story, I promise...Review plz, and I'll give you another chapter =D**


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, or any of it's properties.

**A/N: Okay, this one is gonna be split POV, so I'll mark the change for you. Our favorite couple is gonna get to know each other a little better in this chapter (not like that, get your head out of the gutter!)**

**BPOV**

My body slowly lifted itself out of sleep, no matter how hard I tried to fight it. I sighed heavily, upset at having to get up. I was just so damn comfortable. Fragments of my dream still remained intact. My head was resting peacefully on Edward's lap, his hand wrapped comfortingly around my upper arm, the warmth spreading through my body. I frowned at myself, knowing that I shouldn't be having dreams about another girl's boyfriend, no matter how delicious he was. But this was the best damn dream I'd ever had.

A smooth chuckle disrupted the serenity, and I pried my eyes open to face my interruptor. Emerald eyes shone back at me, and I gasped loudly before rolling off the couch and onto the hardwood floor beneath. The air rushed out of my body in a loud 'oof', and I held still for a moment to make sure I was actually awake now.

"Oh, shit! Bella, are you okay?" Edward's velvet voice surrounded my now definitely awake head, and I blushed furiously as he wrapped his large hands around my shoulders to help me up. Okay, so that wasn't a dream. I had fallen asleep on Edward's lap. And fuck if it wasn't one of the best nights' sleep I'd ever had.

"Um, yeah I'm fine," I mumbled, too embarrassed to look at him. A long finger hooked under my chin, pulling my face up as Edward bent down to look me in the eyes. His own searched my face carefully for any sign of injury.

"Are you sure?" he asked suspiciously. His eyes narrowed, waiting for my response, and I fought the urge to capture his lips in my own. My cheeks warmed once more, and I cleared my throat, dropping his gaze.

"Yeah, totally." I offered a small smile, and he dropped his hand, taking a step back. My eyes involuntarily roamed his body, taking in every detail. Edward was sex personified. When I first saw him at the bar it took every ounce of willpower I had to keep from attacking him right then and there. He was tall, at least 6'2", with a strong, lean body. His skin was pale, almost as light as mine, only causing his bronze hair and striking green eyes to stand out even more.

I had known about Tanya, of course, but I couldn't deny that I wanted to him. I would never intentionally break up a relationship, but just the mere sight of this man could get me to commit murder, as long as it meant he was going home with me. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't just his looks. I mean, sure, he was gorgeous; but there was something else there. The whole night with the gang, I just couldn't help but feel right around him. It was like my subconscious knew something I didn't.

But despite my obvious desire, I knew I couldn't have him. If he wanted Tanya, then I wouldn't get between them. The tricky part would be convincing him he didn't want her. What? There are too few good guys out there as it is. I'm not about to let the perfect one end up with the Wicked Witch of Forks. I'm merely doing my part as a humanitarian.

I silently turned and led Edward into the kitchen where our friends were already eating breakfast. They all greeted us cheerfully, Alice pointing to two plates of sausage and pancakes that were already set out for us. I settled into my chair quickly, taking a big bite of pancake.

"So, Bells, I gotta say...that little g-string? Very nice," Emmett grinned, earning a blush from me and a smack from Rose. My eyes shot over to Edward, who was now choking on his pancakes, Jasper pounding on his back to help get it out.

"Emmett, you have no tact, I swear," Rosalie sighed in exasperation. Alice giggled lightly, her bright eyes sparkling at me with a secret knowledge. I hadn't told the girls about my need to 'win' Edward, but Alice seemed to figure it out anyway, as usual.

I didn't even think twice last night when Alice dared me to jump into the pool. We played truth or dare all the time in high school, and this definitely wouldn't be the first time that skinny dipping would be involved. Of course, Edward hadn't been there for those other times, but I just forced myself not to think about that. All I had to do was get in, and get out. Easy.

Then Alice had taken my clothes. Oh, right, she left me my thong. How kind of her. I sat in the freezing water for a few seconds, fuming, before I made up my mind and climbed out of the pool. If my plan was to win Edward from under Tanya's nose, then I was going to have to play hardball.

I'm not an idiot; I know that I have a pretty decent body. I've been a dancer most of my life, and all of those years of ballet have definitely paid off now that I've gotten older and developed some curves. I knew that ultimately, Edward would have to make his own decision in this whole matter. But it couldn't hurt to have 'little Eddie' on my side. Then again, if what I saw when I walked inside in just my thong was any indication, there was nothing 'little' about Eddie.

"So, what's the plan for today?" I asked, trying to change the subject before someone had to give Edward the Heimlich maneuver.

"Well, Jazzy and me were just planning to hang out here. You know, spend some quality time together," she winked, earning a grimace from Emmett and Edward.

"I need to give Em's jeep a tuneup, so we're gonna go over to my parents' place and use their garage," Rose shrugged. I frowned at my plate, trying to figure out what to do with myself for the day. I looked up suddenly, smiling at Edward.

"How would you feel about going to Port Angeles for the day?" I asked, crossing my fingers. "I could use a trip to the bookstore," I added. Part of me was just trying to make this sound like an innocent trip with a friend, so he wouldn't feel uncomfortable about the idea. But another part of me really did just want to spend some time with him. I didn't really know much about him yet, other than the fact that he was dating Tanya and he had moved here from Chicago. To my relief, he agreed quickly, seeming genuinely excited about the idea.

An hour later, we were seated in Edward's Volvo, talking freely as we headed to Port Angeles. Surprisingly, there hadn't been any awkwardness when we set out on our drive. We had easily settled into a comfortable conversation, learning a little bit about each other. I was overjoyed to find out that we shared a love of books as well as music, enjoying the same kinds of each for the most part. Edward admitted to playing the piano, and I quickly demanded that he play for me sometime, to which he readily agreed.

He asked me dozens of questions about my likes and dislikes, and I returned the favor, both of us keeping the conversation light. We hadn't really talked about our families much, but I decided that was probably for the best. I didn't want to scare him away by laying my life history out on the table the day after I met him.

It seemed so odd that we had just met yesterday. I felt so at ease around him, like it was the most natural thing in the world. We laughed easily with one another, and I couldn't help but feel like this was just _right_. We finally made it to the bookstore, both of us picking up a few before we decided to catch a movie and grab a bite to eat. All in all, I would say it was the perfect day. I might also say that I am definitely falling for Edward Cullen.

*******EPOV*******

Bella was amazing. Every little thing I learned about her just made me want to know more. She was perfect. We had much more in common than I expected, and I found myself talking easily with her throughout our entire day out. I couldn't help myself; it just felt so right to be near her.

She was laughing now about something she had done with the gang growing up. A matching smile stressed across my face automatically; her laughter was infectious. I caught myself glancing over at her more than once during the day, marvelling at the way her smile lit up her entire face, her wide brown eyes becoming impossibly deeper.

The more Bella spoke about her life, the more amazed I beacame. She was perfect. I already knew that she was a talented musician, but I had no idea just how far her perfection stretched. She told me about how much she loved going to visit the kids at Forks General Hospital when she was home, playing music for them, and how she taught free dance lessons at the YMCA in Seattle for the underprivileged kids. She loved to cook and write, and made it a habit of going out with her friends every friday night to a local karaoke bar to unwind. She claimed that it served as a reminder not to take herself too seriously.

"So, let me get this straight: you sing, write music, play guitar, cook gourmet food, write novels and poetry, entartain sick kids, give free dance lessons for youth, have a successful band, participate in weekly karaoke sessions and hold down a copy-editing job, all while getting your bachelor's degree. Is there anything you don't do?" I asked incredulously. That familiar blush filled her cheeks as she dropped her eyes to her lap and scrunched her forehead, a small smile on her lips.

"Well," she sighed, eyes still downcast, "I haven't found the cure for cancer yet, but I'm working on it." Her eyes flicked sideways to me, a smirk pulling at her lips, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"You're amazing, Bella Swan." She smiled sofly over at me, and I was overcome in that moment by the desire to press my lips against her own, claiming her as mine. Then my phone rang.

"Hey, Tanya," I answered, a little less than enthusiastically. I watched Bella's smile drop out of the corner of my eye, and I felt a tightening in my stomach as I realized that I wanted nothing more to bring that smile back.

"_Eddie, where are you? You promised you'd come hang out with us at the bar tonight,_" Tanya whined. I sighed heavily, clenching my jaw before telling her I'd be back soon and hanging up the phone. Bella and I were only ten minutes outside of Forks, and I had hoped we would be able to make the day last a little longer.

"I'll just ride to Alice's with you if you don't mind, so I can get my stuff and take my truck home," Bella said softly. I glanced over at her, noticing that the light had dimmed in her eyes, and her smile was now forced. And just like that, my perfect day had been ruined. Thanks, Tanya.

We rode the rest of the way back in silence, merely saying a quick goodbye to one another when we reached the house. She left quickly, and I shook my head at the emptiness that filled my chest as I heard the sound of her truck engine disappearing down the drive.

I shouldn't be feeling like this. I have a girlfriend. Tanya's not perfect, but she's a sweet girl, and I can't drop her on her ass just because someone new came along. No, I couldn't break up with Tanya. I was just going to have to try to be friends with Bella, and nothing more. I could do that. Right?

**A/N: Oh, Edward, when will you learn? So, not an incredibly exciting chapter, but the two kiddos did get a chance to spend some time together, and get to know one another. Review plz, and lemme know how I'm doin =)**


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, or any of it's properties.

**A/N: This is gonna be another split POV chapter, so watch for the change. I'm tossing in a bit of drama towards the end, but I promise it won't get too angsty. Everybody's life has some drama, but I figured since this story is supposed to be about grown-ass people, that I'd keep it to a minimum =P**

**BPOV**

My need to be near Edward only seemed to grow with every day we spent together. He spent the next few days after our trip to Port Angeles with Tanya and her friends, much to my dismay. But the days were spent with me and the gang, going down to La Push, partying, and just hanging out.

As the week went on, melting into the next one, I noticed that he started passing up nights with Tanya to hang out with us. I did a mental victory dance every time he called her to tell her he wasn't coming over. He never really talked about her, and he really didn't seem that committed. I couldn't help but cringe whenever her name was mentioned, feeling sick to my stomach at the thought of her even touching him, let alone kissing or being....intimate. Yeah, definitely didn't want to go there.

We spent most of our time with the whole group, but every once in awhile we would hang out just the two of us. Nothing big, just a trip to the bookstore, or lunch at the diner. We drove over to Port Angeles one night to listen to a band we both liked, Shaman's Harvest, that was performing at a local bar. I suggested that maybe he should have taken Tanya instead of me, and he just laughed and said there was no way in hell she would come listen to them with him. Not that I minded, of course. He even came over to Charlie's a few times to hang out, always ending up in us talking well into the night. Our relationship was still platonic, but I knew there was something there. I was hyperaware of his presence, noticing a change in the electrical currents of the room anytime he was near. It was unnerving and comforting at the same time.

I learned a lot about him over the next two weeks. His parents were incredibly wealthy, big shock there, but it had always seemed like more of a curse than a gift to him. They thought that they could buy his happiness, just giving him money and sending him on his way in lieu of spending time with him. He had always wished to move back near his cousins and be as carefree as he had been in his early childhood, but never thought he had the option. Then a few months ago, it just hit him: why doesn't he go to school in Seattle? His plans had been solidified by the end of the week, and the rest was history.

I was a little shocked to learn that he wasn't much of a ladies' man. With that sex hair and those hypnotic eyes, not to mention that body, I had just assumed that he was well-practiced. Apparently Tanya was his first girlfriend, and I hated that he had to have that experience with her. He was smart, sweet, funny, caring, and absolutely perfect, yet he was sharing such an important rite of passage with a massive bitch.

The only thing that appeased my anger at the situation was the knowledge that they hadn't progressed passed some light kissing. He said that it just never felt right to go any further with her, and he didn't want to do anything that he wasn't one hundred percent sure about. He held my eyes for a long moment while he shared this information with me, and I couldn't help but squirm in my seat at the intensity of his gaze. I blushed furiously and he dropped his eyes, quickly changing the subject to something safer.

Tonight was the Cullens' annual summer blowout. They had held it every year for as long as I could remember, and the whole town always showed up. We only had about two weeks left in our vacation, and I was excited to have some fun, and let loose with my friends. Alice had brought me an outfit for the party, tossing me a wink as she placed the box in my hands and walked back to her car. I had to admit, it was pretty perfect.

The sundress was a bright, emerald green that matched Edward's eyes perfectly. It had a deep v-neck, with thick shoulder straps and flowered lace detail over the cups and along the hem, and a thick white belt just under the bustline. She slipped a pair of white peep-toe wedges into the box, and a thin white headband with a small white orchid. Summery, cute, and perfect.

I showered quickly then slipped into my dress, throwing on my shoes and accessories and letting my hair dry in its natural waves down to the curve in my lower back. I grabbed my purse off the back of my door and hurried downstairs, nearly skipping with excitement as I reached my truck. The drive to the Cullens' house felt endless, but I eventually pulled into the hidden drive and began the long wind to the house. I didn't bother knocking when I reached the porch, letting myself in to find Esme in the kitchen directing the caterers.

"Bella, you look beautiful," she greeted, coming over to give me a hug. She looked amazing, as usual, in light beige slacks and a silk lavender blouse. Her bronze hair, just a shade lighter than Edward's, framed her soft face beautifully, her smile radiating out of her eyes.

"The kids are in the back," she winked. I blushed lightly, wondering to myself how she could possibly know as I hurried out of the kitchen and into the backyard, tossing Carlisle a quick wave as I passed him in the family room, instructing the DJ in what kind of music he wanted. Alice and Rose were the first two I found out back, both sitting in deck chairs and talking quietly.

"Hey, gorgeous," Rose winked suggestively, eyeing me up and down. I laughed but tossed her a quick wink back, crossing over to hug them both before taking a seat.

My eyes quickly swept the yard, having no trouble finding Edward with the guys tossing a football around. His light, worn jeans hugged his hips and legs perfectly, sitting low on his waist. A navy blue polo fit snugly, stretched tight across his shoulders, and bringing out the red highlights in his hair. A carefree smile graced his lips, and I couldn't help but smile in response.

Alice cleared her throat beside me, her and Rose both quirking eyebrows at me. I responded with an eye roll, but couldn't quite wipe the smile away, so I stood up to go say hello. Rose gave me a quick swat on the ass, and a 'go get em tiger', sending me on my way.

My legs carried me swiftly to the other side of the yard where the guys were gathered, heading straight for Edward. He heard my approach, and the smile on his face widened as he turned to see me, doing all sorts of crazy things to my heart.

"Bella!" he called happily. My smile widened instantly, and walked straight to his side.

"Hey, handsome," I greeted, earning a blush. He dipped his head, trying to hide the pink tint in his cheeks, then peaked back up at me through his lashes, nearly making my heart stop cold in my chest.

I made a mental note to buy Alice a huge present when his eyes traveled hungrily over my body from head to toe, before snapping back up to my eyes, the desire in his own barely contained. I tilted my head back to grin at him, reaching up to give him a quick hug before stepping back.

"You look beautiful," he said quietly, a smile still pulling at his lips. I blushed lightly, but held my own smirk.

"I try," I shrugged nonchalantely. He threw his head back to laugh, the sound causing my heart to beat triple-time, then hooked an arm around my shoulders, leading me toward the porch where the guys had joined their girls.

The six of us hung out on the porch for another hour or so, just talking and enjoying the rare sunny day, until guests slowly started filtering into the backyard. It wasn't long before I spotted the familiar strawberry-blonde curls weaving through the crowd, and I quietly moved away from Edward, hedging closer toward Alice and Rose. Edward's head whipped over to me, tilted in confusion, and I gave him a small smile before she reached the group.

"Eddie!" I watched as Edward cringed at the nickname, then replaced the look with a forced smile. I sighed quietly, wishing that we could rewind to the carefree smiles that had lit up his face only moments before. Tanya wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, not noticing that he kept his own arms by his side, and turned her head to glare furiously at me. I smiled tightly and let Alice and Rose know I was going to walk around, smiling sadly at Edward one more time. His normally vibrant eyes dulled as he tossed me a pained expression, and I turned to mingle with another group, leaving him to deal with Tanya on his own.

*******EPOV*******

Bella was incredible. There was no way one human being could be so perfect. She was everything I had ever imagined in my dream girl. There was only one problem: she wasn't _my_ girl.

I spent every moment with her that I could over the last two weeks. A lot of our time was spent as a group, but I tried to find as many reasons to break away as I could. It was getting harder and harder to leave and hang out with Tanya, and I knew that wasn't right. Sooner or later, I was going to have to make a decision. Every fiber in my body wanted Bella, but my guilty conscience reminded me that it wasn't fair to Tanya to just drop her like that. But I also knew it wasn't fair to string her along when I was falling for someone else.

Actually, that was a lie. I wasn't _falling_ for someone else; I had already _fallen. _My original intentions had been to just get to know Bella as a friend, and try to leave it like that. But the first night I had showed up on her porch, I knew that plan had flown out the window. She was just too amazing to resist. It was time for me to quit being such a pussy, and just face the facts: I was in love with Bella Swan.

It didn't help much when she showed up at my Aunt and Uncle's house for the party. The deep green of her dress made her skin practically glow. And there was a lot of skin. My mouth watered at the sight of her long, slender legs and generous cleavage, tempting me to just take her right there. The sex-appeal of the sundress was offset by the innocence of her flowered headband and neutral makeup, which only made me even harder.

Then there was the way she smiled. She would glance up at me through her eyelashes, a pink tint to her porcelain cheeks, the desire in her eyes poorly masked. It made me want to cry with joy knowing that she wanted me like I wanted her. The intensity of her gaze was staggering, and I couldn't help but grin like an idiot at her. It was mesmerizing to watch her throw her head back in laughter as we talked with our friends, the sun picking up the red undertone in her mahogany hair.

"Eddie!" And just like that, the moment was ruined. The smile slipped from my lips as I noticed Bella inching away from me, and I wanted to wrap my arms around her and hold her close. Only the feel of Tanya's arms around my waist held me in place. I watched in agony as Bella's face fell, and she offered me a small smile before turning to walk away. The disappointment I had seen in her eyes mirrored my own, and I knew that I was going to have to find a way to end things with Tanya soon. The hard part was figuring out how to do it without hurting her too much.

The next couple of hours were torturous. Tanya carted me around the yard, introducing me to people that I had already met, forcing me to pretend to be interested in the town gossip. My eyes sought Bella out instinctively every few minutes.

Mike had found her almost as soon as we had separated earlier, and it didn't seem like he was planning on leaving her side anytime tonight. I took a small amount of joy in the sight of her leaning away from him, her expression pained everytime he brushed his hand against hers, or leaned in to get her attention. Mostly, I was just furious. I hated that he could be so near her, where I so badly wanted to be.

Eventually I got sick of watching Mike inch closer to Bella, and listening to Tanya go on and on about other people's problems. I politely excused myself from the group we were currently standing with, and turned to walk over to Bella. Tanya stumbled along behind me, apparently not intending to let me have any space this evening.

Bella and Mike were standing with a small group of people. The gang was all there, as well as the two guys I recognized from Bella's band, and Tanya's friends. I squeezed into the loose circle to stand by Jasper and Emmett, while Tanya went to Jessica and Lauren. It was a relief to finally have a little space between us, and I turned to smile at Bella. She smiled softly over at me, then turned back to Alice and Rose to talk.

We had all been engrossed in our own conversations for a few minutes, when I caught Bella's expression out of the corner of my eye. Tanya was standing in front of her with her flackeys, a hard glint in her eye and tight smile on her face. She was speaking lowly to Bella, but whatever she was saying was definitely not friendly. Bella looked up at her in silence for a moment, shocked, before her face crumpled and tears began to slip down her cheeks. My heart shattered into a million pieces at the sight, and felt useless as she turned and ran into the house.

Tanya's laughter quickly filled the air, sending chills down my spine, before she turned to smirk at her friends. In the next instant, she was staggering backwards holding a hand to her face, blood dripping down the front of her dress. Rose shook out her hand, her eyes burning a hole into Tanya's face, then turned to follow Bella with Alice right behind her. Everyone was silent for a moment before whispers broke out over the backyard.

"Emmett, Jasper, please escort Miss Denali and her friends off my property," Carlisle ordered, then followed his wife into the house. Jazz and Em quickly turned steely-eyed gazes at Tanya and her friends, causing them to scamper away of their own accord.

I stood frozen in my spot, unsure of what had just happened. I vaguely noticed the guys heading up the porch steps while the other guests began to file out of the backyard. I guess the party was officially over. After a few moments of confusion, I finally snapped out of it and hurried inside. I still had no idea what had just happened, but I knew that I needed to be near Bella.

When I got inside, Carlisle and Esme were talking quietly in the kitchen. They quieted when I came in, offering up small smiles in my direction. Esme walked over to hug me, kissing me on the cheek before she stepped back with her hands on my forearms.

"The girls just left to take Bella home," she explained. I nodded woodenly, feeling completely useless.

"I'm not sure what happened exactly," I said slowly. She shared a look with Carlisle, then smiled sadly at me.

"That's something you'll need to ask Bella about, honey." She squeezed my arm lightly, then turned to follow Carlisle out of the room. I stood still in the kitchen for a minute, contemplating what to do next. I decided that it was probably best that I gave her a little bit of time, knowing that Alice and Rose were with her right now. I'd call when they came home.

I went upstairs to take a shower while I waited. Her tear-streaked face appeared behind my eyelids everytime they closed, and I quickly rinsed off, ending my shower to find something else to occupy my time. Alice called to let us know they would be staying with Bella tonight, and I sighed in frustration.

With no chance to talk to Bella, I knew I was going to have a long night. My legs carried me to the music room without me having made any conscious decision to go there, and I sat slowly on the piano bench. My fingers rested gently on the cool white keys, and I closed my eyes as the music flowed through my body and into the empty room.

**A/N: I'm not completely thrilled with this ending, but this chapter was getting a little long and I needed to move on to the next one. The next chap will be Bella's POV, so send me some reviews and I'll get it out there =)**


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, or any of it's properties.

**A/N: Are you ready for Bella's POV? This chapter will have just a smidge of angst, but I'll get through it quickly and it'll get lighter towards the end. As you may know if you've read any of my other stories, I'm not a huge fan of angst or drama, so I don't like writing it. A little is necessary to add interest to the story, but I don't like my characters to get too carried away with it =) Enjoy!**

**BPOV**

That was not how I had envisioned my night ending. I had been thinking more along the lines of, 'edward breaks up with Tanya, realizes he's in love with me, and whisks me away to spend the remainder of the night ravishing every inch of my body'. Not realistic, but hey, that's why they call it 'ideal'.

I snuck glances at Edward throughout the evening, unable to stop thinking about him for even a moment. It was torture seeing Tanya attached to his side, but I took some pleasure in the obvious discomfort he was in due to her proximity. He might not be willing to admit his dislike for the woman, but his body language was undeniable. His hands remained stuffed in his pockets, shoulders tense, a forced smile on his ridiculously gorgeous face. I wasn't happy that he was miserable, just happy that he was miserable with _her_.

Tanya had always been a massive bitch. My parents tumultuous relationship and my subsequent 'issues' had been common knowledge. Thankfully, the majority of the town looked the other way, having too much love and respect for me and Charlie to hurt us with gossip. Unfortunately, Tanya was not one of these people. She had made it her mission to make me miserable from the day I moved back to Forks. I was painfully shy, and had massive trust and abandonment issues. I was easy prey.

I had thought that I'd grown past all of that. I was a grown woman now, no longer the timid little girl that I had been growing up. After a few years of little to no contact with Tanya, I had assumed that it was an issue I would never have to deal with again. I was wrong.

"_Hey, Bella," Tanya purred, causing my skin to crawl. Memories from high school flashed behind my eyes, and I tensed in preparation for whatever insult she would inevitably throw at me._

"_How's your mom? I hear she found a new family," she giggled. Jessica and Lauren snickered beside her, and I fought back the tears that had already started to pool in my eyes. I don't know why I let her get to me. She had always known what buttons to push._

"_Knock it off, Tanya," Alice growled, moving in front of me protectively while Rose wrapped an arm around my shoulders in an attempt to soothe me. I felt like I was in high school all over again._

"_You know, Bella, did it ever occur to you that maybe you've been the problem all along?" she asked, still smirking. _

"_I mean, you're mom and dad were perfectly fine until you came around, making her wig out. You're dad still hasn't found anyone new, and it's been, what? Twenty years?" she pressed, tilting her head to the side as if she were actually concentrating. _

"_And what about Jake? He didn't snap until after he started dating you," she pointed out. I stared at her in shock for a moment while she watched me carefully, a genuine smile forming on her lips. The tears began to spill over before I could stop them, and I wrenched myself away from Rose to hurry inside, praying that no one had seen me break down._

Ali and Rose dutifully spent the rest of the night with me. We didn't talk about it, as usual, they just let me cry it out of my system before we popped in some chick flicks and ordered in pizza. This had become our ritual after the first confrontation I had Tanya in elementary school. But this time was different.

Rationally, I knew that Tanya was just trying to fuck with my head. This was a small town with no secrets. She knew exactly which buttons to push to make me snap, and she had definitely worked me over at the party. It would've been just like every other time. I would've cried it out, spent the night with the girls, and been back to normal by morning. Except this time, there was Edward.

There was a small part in the back of my mind that couldn't help thinking she might be right. What if it was me? I mean, I was the common link between all of the issues in my life. Then again, anyone could say that. But did I want to take that risk?

It was one thing admiring Edward from afar, knowing that he was already taken. The knowledge that I couldn't have him was painful, but manageable. I don't think I'd be able to survive actually having him, just to lose him. After just a couple short weeks, I was already absurdly attached to him. If we ever did actually take a chance on a relationship and it didn't work out, I'm not sure my heart would survive. And with my track record, that's exactly what would happen.

I couldn't take that chance. So I did what any sane person would do: I avoided him. Actually, I avoided everyone. My phone was turned off the minute Rose and Ali brought me home that night. It stayed that way for over a week. The doorbell rang a few times, and I could hear the muffled shouts of my friends from the other side, but I remained unmoved. Charlie didn't bother pressing me. He knew that I wouldn't listen to anyone else right now, so he just kept his distance. It wasn't until two days before I was supposed to head back to Seattle that Alice came to get me.

"Alright, Bella, that's it!" Alice burst angrily into my room, her eyes flashing with determination as she came to pull me out of bed.

"Alice, what the hell!" The sheets twisted around my legs, causing me to fall into a heap on the cold hardwood floor. I groaned and rolled over, attempting to disentangle myself so I could stand.

"You've been hiding for almost two weeks, Bella. This is fucking ridiculous, and you know it," she snapped. She stomped angrily over to my closet, pulling things out and throwing them on the bed.

"Get in the shower. Rose will be here in twenty minutes. We're having a girls' day out," she announced, leaving no room for argument. I stumbled out of the room, knowing I didn't have a choice, and stepped into a hot shower. I had to admit, the shower felt amazing. I mean, don't get me wrong, I had been bathing over the last two weeks. But it was different showering for a purpose, rather than to just crawl back into pajamas and slide into bed.

Half an hour later I was dressed in a pair of light wash jeans, a navy blue v-neck tee and my converse, climbing into the backseat of Alice's Porsche. Alice's idea of a 'girls' day out' consisted of shopping in Port Angeles, having lunch, and going to the salon. All in all, it actually sounded pretty great. We each ended up leaving the mall with at least four shopping bags, and the little Italian restaurant we stopped at was delicious. But nothing topped the salon. It felt amazing to be pampered. I had my hair washed, trimmed, and dried, along with having my eyebrows waxed and my toes and fingernails done. Of course, Alice's ulterior motives behind our day out finally came into the open.

"Bells, you need to talk to us. How can we help if you don't tell us what the problem is?" she insisted, waiting to bring up the topic until we were all spread out on massage tables, so I had no chance of escape.

"I know this isn't about Tanya; she's always been a massive bitch, and you came to terms with that a long time ago. So what's going on?" I sighed heavily, both in defeat and utter relaxation.

"I don't know, Ali. It's just..." I paused, taking a deep breath before finishing my thought, "what if I screw this up?" I finished softly. It was quiet for a moment before Rose spoke.

"Is this about Edward?" she asked quietly. She took my silence as confirmation. "Bella, do you love him?" she asked next, throwing me for a loop. That's not exactly the direction I thought this was going to go.

"Yeah...I think I do," I answered, unable to stop the smile from spreading across my lips. It faltered just as quickly, my mind going back to Tanya's words.

"But that's the problem: I love him. It was hard when my mom gave up, but I learned not to take it personally. It was hard going through all of that shit with Jake, but I knew it wasn't my fault. And it's hard knowing how lonely my dad is, but I know that's his decision. The thought of losing Edward...that's torture." My eyes filled with tears for what felt like the millionth time over the last two weeks, and I breathed deeply to pull myself together.

"You're being selfish, Bella," Rose chastised harshly, catching me off guard. She pressed on when I stayed silent.

"I'm not an idiot; I see how Edward looks at you. Did you even stop to think how he might feel about all of this? What if he wants to be with you? What if he wants to give it a shot? You're just going to take that decision away from him, because you're scared?" she questioned. I stayed quietly, suddenly feeling very, very stupid.

"This isn't just about you, Bells. Give Edward a chance," she continued, softer this time. "Tell him how you feel. If things work out, then great; you two can live happily ever after. If they don't, oh well. You won't ever have to wonder 'what if', and you can continue the search for prince charming. Either way, we'll all be here to back you up." My eyes filled with tears once more, but this time for a different reason. I took a shuddering breath, then choked out a watery laugh.

"I love you, Rose," I chuckled. Rose and Ali joined in, and we finished our massages as I lost myself in thought.

Rose was right: I needed to give Edward and me a shot. Who knows, I might be getting ahead of myself. Edward might not want to give _this_ a shot. The only way to find out was to ask.

We headed back to Forks, the tension lifted from the air. I laughed easily with my friends as we sang along with corny songs on the radio, and talked about our plans for our first week back in Seattle. The drive home passed quickly, and before I knew it, we were pulling back into Charlie's driveway. Right behind a shiny silver Volvo.

"Go get him, tiger," Rose smirked. Edward was seated on my front porch, but stood as Alice parked. I took a deep breath, setting my jaw in determination before I climbed out of Alice's car. She popped the trunk so I could get my bags, and Edward quickly jogged over to me, grabbing the bags from my hands and nodding to the girls.

I tilted my head back, peering into his emerald orbs, and the breath whooshed out of my lungs. The intensity in his eyes was staggering, and my heart fluttered as a crooked smirk pulled at the corner of his lips. My own smile spread across my face, and I blushed reflexively, my eyes quickly dropping down to my feet. A cool finger lifted my chin, and I met his gaze once more.

"Can we talk?" he asked, searching my face intently. I nodded silently, and led him into the house to set the bags down before leading him back out the door and out of the house. There was a narrow trail through the woods beside my house, leading to a small park on the other side.

We walked in silence until we broke into the clearing, and I made my way over to an empty bench. He settled down beside me, leaning back and stretching his long legs out in front of him. I giggled quietly as my own feet swung freely, not quite long enough to touch the ground. My laughter quieted as I looked over at Edward, waiting expectently for me to speak. I sighed heavily and leaned back, looking out at the playground.

"Where do I start?"

*******EPOV*******

"How about at the beginning?" I offered quietly. These last couple of weeks had been excrutiating. I missed seeing her face and hearing her voice. I would kill to hear that laugh. The worst part was not knowing what I had done wrong.

After the incident with Tanya, which nobody would even fill me in on, she had just cut everyone out. I had shown up at her house this afternoon, determined to see her. The sight of her with the girls, smiling brightly, her laughter ringing through the open windows, had nearly knocked the breath out of me. My heart had all but shriveled into nothing in her absence, and she had revived me in a matter of seconds.

Fuck, I sounded like a damn woman.

I looked over at the beauty on the bench beside me, her heart-shaped face furrowed with concentration. Her legs swung lightly over the edge of the bench, and I struggled not to chuckle at how adorable it was.

"My parents divorced when I was four," she started, drawing my attention. "My mom said she just couldn't handle the domesticity of life with Charlie, so she packed some bags and took me with her to Phoenix, Arizona. That lasted all of five years, before she decided motherhood just wasn't right for her, and she shipped me back to Charlie. Of course, that was after she had spent those five years filling my head with the horrors of marriage and being tied down, and how horrible her life with my dad had been," she chuckled humorlously. I instinctively reached out my hand to wrap it around hers, and she paused for a moment, staring down at them before looking up to smile sofly at me. She twined her tiny fingers with my own and sighed heavily.

"I spent the next seven years or so locked inside my own little shell. My mom made sure to call every few weeks or so to remind me how horrible her life had been. I was painfully shy, and rarely spoke to anyone other than Charlie and the gang. Even then, I kept my distance. I didn't trust anyone, afraid that they would just leave me like Renee. The one person I did let in was Jake." Her face clouded over as she said his name, and I tightened my grip on her hand, reminding her that I was here for her.

"Jake's dad was Charlie's best friend. They spent a lot of time at our place, and we spent a lot of time at theirs. I guess, in a way, I kind of became dependent on him. He was then only person that I felt like I could really be myself around. He felt safe," she frowned. "So, when I was sixteen, I decided that it was time to take a chance. I marched right up to him and planted a kiss on him, and that was that," she shrugged. I tensed at the thought of her lips touching another man, but her gentle squeeze on my hand brought me out of my murderous thoughts.

"Everything with Jake was great for the first few months. Then, he started to change. He started calling me more to check up on me, which didn't seem like a big deal at first. But the calls became more frequent. If I didn't answer right away, he was convinced I was seeing someone else. He would get angry when I spent the day with the gang, or even just spent the day by myself. He started driving from the reservation to Forks every day after school, just to make sure I was where said I would be. I would notice his car around town on days when we didn't have plans to hang out, or driving down the street after I was home for the night. I put up with it for a little over a year, before I'd finally had enough."

The thought of anyone treating Bella like that had me boiling inside. I watched her as she spoke, studying the expressions she made. She didn't seem upset by the memories. Her eyes were staring off into the distance, seeing something that wasn't really there. Her face was smooth, aside from a small crease between her eyes. My fingers twitched to reach out and smoooth it, but I held back, nodding for her to continue.

"I told Charlie about Jake's behavior, and he was furious. He called Billy, Jake's dad, demanding that he have a talk with him and put a stop to this. When Billy denied any problems with Jake's behavior, Charlie put his foot down. He told me I had a choice: I could either end it with Jake, or he'd end it for me. It wasn't really a hard decision. The next day when Jake came to see me, I asked the gang to be there. I hadn't expected anything to happen, I just needed them for support. When I told Jake it was over, he freaked. Jasper and Emmett held him down while I called Charlie, and he hauled him back to the reservation in La Push. I never heard from him again after that. Billy was afraid Charlie would lock Jake up if he ever stepped foot back in Forks, which he probably would have, so he kept him on the reservation." She frowned slightly at this part, then tilted her head to the side in concentration. My eyes zeroed in on the smooth column of her throat, longing to place a kiss there, and I shook my head to clear the thoughts. Bella was quiet for a moment before she continued.

"As upset as I was about losing my friend, it actually ended up being a good thing. It made me realize that I was a lot stronger than I had given myself credit for. I didn't have to be timid and afraid all the time. I had always been so careful, but I had gotten hurt anyway. If there was nothing I could do to stop bad things from happening, then I decided I might as well enjoy all of the good times. I met Sam Uley, my guitarist, just a few months later. He grew up at La Push, and heard about everything with me and Jake. He came to see me in Forks one day, and asked me if I'd ever considered learning to play an instrument. He said that he had been just like me as a kid, but a friend had taught him how to play the guitar as a way to channel all of his pent-up emotions. So he started giving me lessons, and before long I was hooked. I started taking piano lessons after that, and began to write my own lyrics, just trying to keep everything from building up inside of me. When I moved to Seattle for school, I met Angela, my roommate, who happens to play the drums. I talked to Sam about maybe putting a band together, just for fun, and he thought it was a great idea. Angela jumped onboard, and Sam introduced us to Seth, another kid from the rez who was a great bassist. The four of us have been playing together ever since." She looked over at me and smiled gently, finished with her story. I watched her closely for a moment, just thinking about all of this information she had just given me.

I hated that Bella's childhood had been difficult. She was so amazing, it was hard to imagine that anyone could just turn away from that. I had only known her a few short weeks, and I already knew that I couldn't live without her in my life, in whatever way she would have me.

"So," I started, getting to the question that had been plaguing my mind for two weeks, "what happened with Tanya? I'm assuming it had something to do with your parents?" I asked. Her smile faded, and I wanted nothing more than to bring it back.

"Tanya and I have never been the best of friends," she hedged, peeking at me out of the corner of her eye. "She said some things that I knew weren't true, but I let it get to me anyways," she shrugged. I frowned at her avoidance. I knew that she was probably trying to be polite, since I was still technically dating Tanya. I hadn't spoken to her in a couple weeks, too focused on trying to get ahold of Bella, but I had never officially broken it off with her.

We sat in the park for a few more hours, just talking. The mood was lighter for the rest of the day, but there was still an underlying tension. We both seemed to be hedging around the topic of Tanya, and I knew that was my fault. I needed to end things with her, once and for all. I didn't know what she had said to Bella at that party, but judging my the reaction it had invoked, it couldn't have been anything good. I may have overlooked many of Tanya's flaws, but I wasn't going to turn a blind eye to any mistreatment of Bella. It was time to say goodbye to Tanya.

**A/N: Sooo we got an overview of Bella's history in this one, and Edward is finally pulling his head out of his ass. I promise I won't make you wait much longer for 'happily ever after' =P review plz!!!**


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, or any of it's properties.

**A/N: Yet another split POV. Most of it is going to be Edward, though. This is the moment you've all been waiting for, so I hope I do it justice!**

**BPOV**

I felt so much lighter after my afternoon with Edward. I had thought that telling Edward about everything would be awkward and embarrassing, but it had been surprisingly easy. Once I had started talking, I felt the desire to share more. It just felt so right to share everything with him. Just like it felt right to be with him. If I hadn't been sure before, I was now: I needed Edward.

Of course, I had never been one to just get straight to the point. It may seem completely ridiculous, but the thought of rejection was still terrifying. The words had been on the tip of my tongue all day, but I couldn't seem to force them out. Every time I tried, my heart would freeze in my chest, and my palms would begin to sweat. So talking about it was out of the question.

I froze midstep as I walked up the stairs to my room. A smile slowly spread across my face, and I hurried up the last few steps, grabbing a pen and notebook before pressing the speed dial on my phone.

"Alice, can you come over? I have an idea."

*******EPOV*******

After I walked Bella home, I headed straight to Tanya's. It was time to get this over with. I had known from the beginning that me and Tanya weren't going to work, I was just too chickenshit to admit it. I pulled up in front of her apartment in no time, and didn't bother knocking when I heard her and her friends all talking on the other side. She looked up in surprise when she saw me, then quickly jumped up to run over to me. I put a hand on her shoulder to hold her back when she leaned in for a kiss, and she frowned up at me.

"Tanya, we need to talk," I started. She narrowed her eyes at me suspiciously, but told her friends she'd be right back and followed me outside.

"What is this about, Edward?" she sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. She was inspecting the nails on one hand nonchalantly, waiting for me to talk so she could go back inside.

"This isn't working out, Tanya. I want to break up," I said, getting right to the point. Her head snapped up instantly, her eyes narrowing as they met mine.

"Excuse me?" she spat, livid. I rolled my eyes, sighing in annoyance.

"It's over, Tanya. We both know this isn't working," I reiterated, gesturing between the two of us. Her mouth popped open in shock, before she screemed loudly in frustration.

"This is about that stupid bitch, isn't it?" she screeched. I stared at her in shock for a minute, before returning her angry glare.

"Fuck you, Tanya," I growled. I spun on my heal, stomping angrily back to my car as she continued to rant behind me. This was fucking ridiculous. I was trying to be civil about this, and get it over with. But I wasn't going to stand there and listen to her jealous tirade about Bella. This is the real world, not high school.

I flew through the streets of Forks, making it back home in half the time it usually took me. Steam was still pouring out of my ears when I stormed inside, but I was stopped short when Alice and Rose hurried past me out the front door.

"We're going to the bar tonight, Edward. Be ready by eight!" Alice called behind her, hurrying over to her Porsche with Rose. They threw a couple of bags into the trunk, then slipped into the car, flying down the driveway. I slipped inside, finding Em and Jazz in the family room playing video games. After a quick recap of my breakup with Tanya, earning high fives from both of them, I settled in to play some games. The afternoon passed quickly, and before I knew it, it was time to start getting ready. I showered and dressed quickly, opting for a pair of dark wash jeans and a black pinstriped button down shirt with brown Doc Martens.

The guys and I road over to the bar together, pulling into the spot near the front that Alice had saved for us. The place was packed already, and I smiled as I remembered the first night I had met Bella. The entire town seemed to be out tonight as well, as we pushed our way through the crowd up to the front where Alice and Rose already had a table. I frowned at them when I didn't see Bella anywhere, and they both smirked at me before turning to the stage. My eyes followed theirs, and widened slightly at the sight before me.

Bella was walking onto the stage, her band setting up behind her. Her long, pale legs are on full display in simple black button-front shorts that came down to just below the curve of her ass. She was wearing a paisley haltered tunic with the shorts, exposing her toned arms and ample cleavage. Her tiny feet were encased in green lowtop converse, making her legs look even longer. Her hair was a little messy, giving it that tousled bed head look. And I mean the good kind. Overall, she was basicly giving off a 'fuck me' vibe.

She walked straight up to the microphone, adjusting it to the right height, before leaning up to speak into it. Her eyes glanced down to meet mine briefly before she spoke.

"How's everybody doin tonight?" she asked, earning cheers from the crowd. She smiled brightly, her hand wrapped around the mic.

"Well, as most of you know, tomorrow is my last day here in Forks before I head back into the city," she started. The crowd 'booed' their disapproval, and she chuckled at their reaction.

"I know, I know. But I thought I'd give you guys one last performance before I hit the road, so I'm gonna play something new for you tonight. I hope you like it." She met my eyes as she said the last part, and I felt my stomach rise into my throat in anticipation. Her lead guitarist, Sam, handed her an acoustic guitar, and she slung the strap over her shoulder before stepping back up to the mic. She ran through a few chords, making sure it was tuned, before nodding to her drummer. He raised his sticks above his head, tapping out the counts before the music began.

_You're on the phone with your girlfriend, she's upset  
She's going off about something that you said  
'Cause she doesn't get your humor like I do_

Her eyes connected with mine as she crooned out the first verse, trying desperately to convey a message to me. I stepped forward without thinking, never breaking eye contact, listening intently to a song that I had a sneaking suspicion was written for me.

_I'm in the room, it's a typical Tuesday night  
I'm listening to the kind of music she doesn't like  
And she'll never know your story like I do_

My mind flashed to memories of the two of us at concerts in Port Angeles, a smile automatically appearing on my face

_But she wears short skirts, I wear t-shirts  
She's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers  
Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find  
That what you're looking for has been here the whole time_

If you could see that I'm the one who understands you  
Been here all along so why can't you see you belong with me?  
You belong with me.

My eyes widened as her words began to register, causing my heart to stutter in my chest. I belong with her. I knew that, of course, but does this mean she knows that?

_Walking the streets with you and your worn out jeans  
I can't help thinking this is how it ought to be  
Laughing on a park bench thinking to myself,  
Hey, isn't this easy?_

Every word that left her lips triggered another memory of the two of us, all causing my smile to grow impossibly wider. There is no way in hell that I deserved this girl, but I definitely wasn't gonna be the one to break it to her.

_  
And you've got a smile that could light up this whole town  
I haven't seen it in awhile since she brought you down  
You say you're fine, I know you better than that  
Hey what you doing with a girl like that?_

She wears high heels, I wear sneakers  
She's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers  
Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find  
That what you're looking for has been here the whole time

If you could see that I'm the one who understands you  
Been here all along so why can't you see you belong with me?  
Standing by and waiting at your backdoor  
All this time how could you not know baby you belong with me?  
You belong with me.

Oh, I remember you driving to my house in the middle of the night  
I'm the one who makes you laugh when you know you're about to cry  
And I know your favorite songs and you tell me about your dreams  
Think I know where you belong, think I know it's with me  


The crowd around me cheered, dozens of hands reaching forward to pat me on the back. Bella's smile widened on her face as she continued to hold my gaze, her forehead creasing with emotion as the words continued to spill from her lips.

_  
Can't you see that I'm the one who understands you  
Been here all along so why can't you see you belong with me?_

_Standing by and waiting at your backdoor  
All this time how could you not know baby you belong with me?  
You belong with me._

_You belong with me._

_Have you ever thought just maybe you belong with me? _

_You belong with me._

The final line left her mouth, and she paused for a moment, still holding my gaze, before she broke away to thank the crowd and hand Sam her guitar. I weaved my way toward the side of the stage, straining to find her. Her head suddenly popped up on the stage steps, and I hurried forward to reach her. I neared the steps and reached my arms forward, wrapping them around her waist and pulling her towards me before she had a chance to step down, crashing my lips to hers.

Electricity shot through my body, every nerve ending coming to life. Her tiny arms snaked around my neck, both hands fisting in my hair to hold me close, her soft lips holding their own against mine. I left one arm around her waist, holding her body against mine, but slid the other one up her back, allowing my fingers to sink into the mess of curls at the base of her neck. I finally pulled back when the strain in my lungs became unbearable, and we both clung to each other, gasping for air. My forehead rested against hers, and I couldn't help but chuckle when the audience broke out into loud cheers. Bella's laughter shook her body, awakening parts of my own anatomy, and my eyes snapped open to meet hers,

"Took you long enough," she muttered, a dazzling smile in place on her swollen lips. I leaned forward to capture her lips in a gentle kiss, then trailed my own down her chin and across her jawline.

"I guess I just needed you to spell it out for me," I chuckled, my lips still pressed to her skin. Her hands tightened in my hair, pulling my lips up to hers once more.

I had no idea what the future would hold for us. Tomorrow we would all be leaving to head up to Seattle. Bella, Alice, and I would be finishing school, then starting on the next chapter of our lives. I couldn't predict where we would be by then, or five more years down the road from that. But what I did know, was that I had no future without Bella. She was my home.

**A/N: Well, what did you think? Too cheesy? Lol As of right now, I'm undecided as to whether or not this is the end of the story. I have some ideas to keep it going, and let their relationship grow, but I need to know if that's what you guys want. So, you know what to do: send me some reviews, and tell me what you want =)**


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